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CHESTER, Pa.— A trio of $7,500 dashes for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) opened the Sunday (Dec. 22) harness racing card at Harrah’s Philadelphia and saw a different driver win in each division.
First to finish first in the first was Yogi Sheridan with 3-5 favorite The Will To Play (Shadow Play) in the first division of the AHDC Pace. Sheridan cut the mile with his charge through fractions of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:24.2 before strolling down the stretch to a 2-1/4-length win while chased home by Six Feet Apart (driven by Frank Tsipouras) in second. Yer So Bad (Anthony Verruso) rallied from last for third and Wilsons Vinner (Raymond Burt) finished fourth another nine lengths behind.
THE WILL TO PLAY REPLAY
Izzy Estrada trains The Will To Play, a 4-year-old gelding, for owner Estrada Racing LLC. He paid $3.20 to win.
Steven Reisenweaver won next in the lone division of the AHDC Trot with a pillar-to-post effort by 54-1 shot Gatsby (Cantab Hall) in a 1:59.3 mile. With early challenger Ima Standup Guy (Joe Faraldo) breaking stride after a :28.4 first quarter, Gatsby then contended with even-money favorite Mister Boinga (Raymond Burt), who began to tire after a :59 half. Gatsby held the point through three-quarters in 1:29.1 and pushed through to the finish to post a 1-3/4-length victory over pocket-sitter Puddin N Pie (Yogi Sheridan) with Big Nudge (Anthony Verruso) saving ground to finish third and Archibald (Geovany Hernandez) riding the pylons for fourth.
GATSBY REPLAY
Steven Reisenweaver owns and trains Gatsby, a 5-year-old gelding. He paid $111 to win.
Tony Beltrami won the final AHDC division with a pocket-pouncing effort by Speed Snip (Sweet Lou) in a 1:55.1 mile. Beltrami perched onto the helmet of 9-5 favorite Badditude (Yogi Sheridan) and stalked through splits of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.1. Spinning for home, Beltrami launched his charge into action and seized the lead with ease to then pull away to a 2-3/4-length win. Master Miki (Geovany Hernandez) closed to take second from Badditude while All In Jest (Matt Zuccarello) rallied from last for fourth.
SPEED SNIP REPLAY
Maria Alvarez trains Speed Snip, a 4-year-old gelding, for owners Terrence Smith and Paul Parks. He paid $6.60 to win.
AHDC action continues on the last day of racing ever at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (Dec. 28). The card will feature the $15,000 final of the AHDC Trotting Series as well as a $10,000 consolation. First-race post time is 12:30 p.m. (EST).
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
by Ray Cotolo, for AHDC
