Veteran trainer Kelvin 'Red' Harrison, a native New Zealander, has recently had several horses from his native land join his stable under the Curtin ANZ Stables banner.
Harrison has enjoyed great success with his new recruits, which includes the Bettors Delight mare Shes Nun Bettor N, who won the $12,800 featured distaff pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 9).
On Wednesday, driver George Napolitano Jr. sent the four-year-old mare right to the lead and rattled off fractions of :27.3, :57.1, and 1:24.2. Shes Nun Bettor N then stood firm in the face of a late charge from Take Abit Of Life, who ended up finishing one and one-half lengths back in second. Wingding Hanover finished a close third in the 1:54.2 mile. Shes Nun Bettor N now has a North American record of 6-4-1-1-$27,390.
The Mach Three mare Machnhope enjoyed a class drop into the $11,60 co-featured distaff pace on Wednesday and commanded her field through splits of :27.1, :55.1, and 1:23 en route to a sharp 1:50.1 win, which was a lifetime best. Pat Berry guided the speedy five-year-old who has a 28 per cent lifetime win ratio (21-for-83) and $285,301 in the bank. Machnhope is trained by Noel Daley, who is also co-owner along with Deo Volente Farms LLC, Thomas Pontone, and L A Express Stable LLC.
FINISHING LINES – Despite what was originally published, Harrah's Philadelphia will race this Friday’s card, and that of Friday, October 2, at 12:25 instead of at night … Åke Svanstedt had a powerhouse trio of trotters win qualifiers at Pocono on Wednesday morning. They were the two-year-olds Narzarro (a Trixton gelding out of Gerris Joy) in 1:58 and the Muscle Hill–Cedar Dove colt Jula Pro Hanover in 1:57.3, along with the Ready Cash sophomore colt Light Blue Movers in 1:54.1. The trio’s winning margins were an aggregate 63 and one-quarter lengths.
(With files from PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)