Net Weight wins a chilly Philly feature

CHESTER PA – The Muscle Hill sophomore gelding Net Weight, in his first start in six months, was more than ready for the $12,000 trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a sub-freezing Friday afternoon, winning by two lengths in 1:59.3.

NET WEIGHT REPLAY

Johnathan Ahle had Net Weight in the two-hole through most of the mile behind Soft Landing, and when he tipped his three-year-old to the inside for the stretch drive, he proved to have more than enough to win as the heavy favorite. Net Weight, whose only other career victory came in a Kindergarten Consolation last season, is trained by Noel Daley for The Gandolfo Stables, Lenny Zelin, Harbor Racing Stable LLC , and L A Express Stable LLC.

They were three across the track at the finish of the $11,000 fast-class pace for distaffs, with the Captaintreacherous mare Bellucci proving most photogenic in 1:54.2. The Scott Di Domenico trainee rode second-over for driver Jack Pelling as pacesetter Maria Allegonda N went head-to-head with first-over favorite Miki In Luv, then fanned wide and was just along by a head over Maria Allegonda N, with Miki In Luv just a nostril behind them. Larry Fischer owns the nine-time seasonal winner.

Shezafreaklikeme closed from last to register a $52.80 upset for owner-trainer-driver Stacy Chiodo, giving Stacy the trainer her second $50+ winner of the meet and tying her with Ray Burt as conditioners of dual $50+ bombers at the top of that list at Philly in 2025.

Mark Herschberger, George Napolitano Jr., Austin Siegelman, and Jack Pelling all had two driving victories on the program; Pelling’s pair were trained by Scott Di Domenico, who was joined in the conditioning double category by Tony Alagna.

Harrah’s Philadelphia has but two cards left in its racing season; the next is Sunday at 12:40, which features a crackerjack $18,000 nine-horse fast class trot and a carryover into the Pick 4 wager on the first quartet of events on the card. The southeast Pennsylvania track then concludes its meet on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, with a special starting time of 4 p.m. and mandatory payouts on the last iteration of its normal “carryover” wagers. 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