Northern Baccarat and Barefootnpregnant won the $12,600 featured paces on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 8) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The Bettors Delight gelding Northern Baccarat and driver Tim Tetrick made an early move to control the pace, rated the half, then sprinted home in :27.3 to draw clear in a career best 1:52.4 in the feature for males. Paul Stafford trains the improving four-year-old, now victorious in three of his last six outings, for owner Thomas Ceraso Jr.
The crowd found little difference between Barefootnpregnant (4-5) and Three Way Split (6-5) in the headline division for distaffers, and that’s just how they came through the stretch, with the Shadow Play filly Barefootnpregnant setting the pace and then resisting the inside charge of Three Way Split by a neck while equalling her lifetime best of 1:53.2. Driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Michael Hall, and the ownership of Let It Ride Stables Inc. are three-for-three with the sophomore after acquiring her just over a month ago.
The $11,200 fast-class pace for veteran performers went to Bombshell Hanover, who has worked out a pocket trip in four of his last five starts, with two wins and two seconds. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding sat behind a tough opponent in Somebaddude, then came up the inside in the stretch to win by a neck and equal his mark of 1:50.4. Simon Allard guided the Josh Green trainee for the KDP Stable LLC.
The Thursday afternoon (Sept. 9) card at Philly features two $14,400 divisions of class-climbing trotters, along with a $13,000 fast-class trot. On Friday (Sept. 10), Harrah’s will celebrate its 15th anniversary, with the nostalgia and festivities — along with the racing card — beginning at 6 p.m. Program pages are available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)