Harry Knows makes rare break in USA debut

Irish trotting champion Harry Knows IR (Armstrong Jet) saw his USA harness racing debut and five-race win streak come to abrupt halt after making a rare break at the Meadowlands Raceway in New Jersey on Saturday evening (Feb. 4).

The 4th race $18,000 trot saw Dee’s Red Delicous (Credit Winner, Joe Bongiorno) come from the outside post seven and work his way to the lead with Chapheart (Yannick Gingras) getting the two-hole trip with Harry Knows IR, who was made the 3/2 race favorite, sitting in third place for driver Patrick Kane. It was the first time that Irish driving champion Kane had ever driven in the USA.

They went by the opening quarter mile in :27.3 as Gingras came out from post two as if to go after the lead with Chapheart and that drew Kane with Harry Knows IR also moving to the outside.

As they neared the half mile, Gingras put Chapheart back into the two-hole and then Harry Knows IR went off-stride, causing interference with the trailing horses. They went by the half mile in :57.

Dee’s Red Delicous and Bongiorno then had it easy on the front end, leading to the three-quarters in 1:25.4 and cruising home to win by two lengths in 1:53.4. Chapheart was second with Hockey Hanover (Andy McCarthy) third.

Harry Knows IR was able to get back on stride and did finish fourth in the race but was placed seventh by the Judges for causing interference while on a break.

DEE’S RED DELICOUS REPLAY

It was the first win in three starts this year for Dee’s Red Delicous, who is trained by Travis Alexander. The five-year-old gelding is owned by the Fiddler’s Creek Stables, LLC of Naples, FL and he paid $12.20 to win.

It was also not a great USA debut for the United Kingdom import, Louisiana GB (Sweet Lou), who ended up being boxed in during the 7th race $27,500 Winners-Over Pace and finished seventh. She was sent off at the 2-1 co-favorite in the race.

Driven by Dexter Dunn, Louisiana GB, who was the 2022 Horse of the Year in the UK, got to the lead by the opening quarter in :27.3 and then was shuffled back to third place where she was boxed in with plenty of pace but no place to go.

Dont Fence Me In (Captaintreacherous) and driver Scott Zeron won the race in 1:51.1, paying $13.80 to win.

DONT FENCE ME IN REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink