Three straight for Rock Of Cashel

CHESTER, PA – The eleven-year-old Rock Of Cashel won his third straight at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, showing his heels to the field in 1:53.4 to take the $16,200 featured high-level trot.

Todd McCarthy settled the son of Majestic Son, the betting favorite, behind Lindsey’s Pride, who took control from the pole and put up fractions of :27.3, :57.3, and 1:25.3. McCarthy vacated the two-hole halfway through the far turn and easily trotted to the lead, winning by 3½ lengths over an inside-charging No Drama Please. Rock Of Cashel won for the 48th time in his career, and now has earnings of $788,054. Mark Harder trains the durable trotter for Joseph Jannuzzelli and Jeffery Ruch.

ROCK OF CASHEL REPLAY

“Pocket rocket” tactics were also used by the favored winner of the $14,400 co-feature, the Donato Hanover gelding So Long Hanover, who took a new mark of 1:54 while also holding off an inside rusher, Baldaquin, by a length. The victory was the fourth at this level within the last two months for So Long Hanover, who must now go up in class, having exceeded the $50,000 earnings barrier for trainer Scott Di Domenico and the ownership of Bottom Line Racing LLC and Triple D Stables Inc.

SO LONG HANOVER REPLAY

Tim Tetrick, the driver of So Long Hanover, widened his lead atop the Harrah’s driving colony by bringing four horses home first on Thursday.

Friday’s 12:25 card at Philly contains a pair of $12,600 features for up-and-coming younger horses and an $11,200 contest for the fast-class set. On Sunday, there will be a pair of $22,500 winners-over handicap paces, one for males and one for females. Program pages will be available at www.phha.org/harrahspps.html.

For full race results, click here.

From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia