Plenty of resolve in Philly winner

CHESTER PA – On an afternoon with temperatures near freezing and a stiff headwind blowing as they battled to the wire (resulting in a one-second allowance), the Resolve gelding Resolve To Win got a rather civilized trip and was up to capture the $15,000 handicap trotting harness racing feature in 1:55.2.

There was action aplenty into turn one, as Resolve To Win made the lead from the middle of the seven-horse field then yielded to the front-favoring mare Chake, who paid a :27.2 price for command. Chake could back the half off to :57.2 but then had to step the three-quarters up to 1:25.4, as a live cover flow moved up to challenge her.

The outer horses stalled turning for home, and driver Tim Tetrick steered Resolve To Win to the passing lane, where his resolve to win came through in defeating Chake by three parts of a length.

RESOLVE TO WIN REPLAY

A 30% career winner (17-57), Resolve To Win is trained by Jeff Cullipher for Pollack Racing LLC.

The Walner sophomore filly Pisco Sour was the only non-favorite to capture one of the day’s four features, just catching the chalk Im An Andover by a nose very late in a 1:56.4 mile. The latter was out most of the :28.1 quarter and maintained the advantage through midsplits of :58.1 and 1:26.2, and almost made the lead stand up. But Pisco Sour, joining the Per Engblom barn and making her first start in 45 days, had cover in the third quarter, lost it to a break and continued up raw for driver Rikard Skoglund, and was along in time for Jorgen Sparredal Inc.

PISCO SOUR REPLAY

In a $13,500 pace for classclimbing distaffs, the Huntsville mare Turn On The Charm made two strong moves en route to a 1:55.2 success. Streaking out of the gate for Corey Callahan, the winner hung second-choice Seeuontheotherside well past a :27.3 quarter before yielding, then popped out of the pocket past the :57.4 half and went right back to the lead. Blue Point tucked behind Turn On The Charm before the 1:26.2 three-quarters but could get no closer, finishing 1¾ lengths behind the winner, who now has succeeded in 11 of 29 lifetime starts. Trainer Bruce Clarke is co-owner of Turn On The Charm with Charming Roses LLC and J. J. Coffey.

TURN ON THE CHARM REPLAY

A $13,000 distaff handicap pace for the fast-class horses saw Tim Tetrick and Team Cullipher/Pollack parlay another pocket trip to victory, this time with the Pet Rock mare Blood Moon A, who on in 1:54.2. Miki In Luv set early fractions of :27.1 and :57.3, then was tested hard by first-over DC Batgirl through and past a 1:25 three-quarters. DC Batgirl took the lead in the stretch but didn’t have enough late to outfinish the winner, who enjoyed a half length advantage on the money.

BLOOD MOON A REPLAY

Tim Tetrick posted three winners on the day, giving him seventeen successes in his last five cards of racing at Philly. He has opened up a 15-win advantage with just eight cards to go in the 2024 season at Philly as he pursues his fourth straight local dash title.

Pacers have the spotlight on the 12:25 Friday card at Harrah’s Philly, with a $14,000 handicap contest for the fast-class horses and two $13,500 events for the developing set; 21-year-old Brett Beckwith, battling Jason Bartlett for second place in the North American dash standings behind perennial leader Aaron Merriman, will have a full set of drives on the Friday card. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia