Philly feature winners have one thing in common

CHESTER PA – On Friday afternoon (July 12), Harrah’s Philadelphia had a pair of harness racing pacing events for the four highest purse levels offered on the card. And in “sloppy” conditions, all of the feature winners, regardless of age, sex, or classification type, had one thing in common: they all were on or near the lead heading towards the far turn – pacesetters, pocketsitters, and first-overs won fourteen of the fourteen races Friday.

Top purse was $12,000 for developing distaff horses, with the faster going to the mare Seven It Is (Luck Be Withyou), who took a new mark of 1:52 for driver Jack Pelling, trainer Scott D Domenico, and owner Jason Graber. The other section was won by the sophomore filly Schnapps (Sweet Lou), who lowered her record to 1:53 for driver Tony Morgan, trainer Nifty Norman, and Michael Minnella and Enzed Racing Stable Inc.

In a pair of $11,500 high-end claiming contests, the gelding Hes A Ladies Man (Shadow Play) overpowered his opposition in 1:50.4 for driver Johnathan Ahle (who had the only triple among the local horsemen’s crew), trainer Greg Haverstick and owner Ronald Davis. Frontier Rollo (Time To Roll) was again sharp in the other claiming division, with the gelding stopping the clock in 1:51 for the hot team of driver Simon Allard and trainer/owner Mark Akins.

The baby filly won faster than did the baby colt, with both breaking their maidens in $11,250 events for trainer Tony Alagna. Duration (Captaintreacherous – Time On My Hands) was a smart winner in 1:53.1 for driver Dexter Dunn and the partnership of Robert Leblanc, Joe Sbrocco, Pryde Stable Inc., and JAF Racing LLC. Captaintreacherous also sired the male freshman winner, the colt World Beater (Captaintreacherous – World Apart), who was alert to win a 1:54.3 mile for driver Todd McCarthy and owner Willow Oak Ranch.

The quicker of the two $11,000 races for fast-class females produced the swiftest feature time of the day and a new mark, 1:50.2, by the game mare Talk Curdy For Me (Betterthancheddar), with David Miller handling sulky chores for trainer Jeff Cullipher and owner Pollack Racing LLC. The other fast-class division went to the mare Got Sexy Scars (Sportswriter), who was successful in 1:52.3 for driver George Napolitano Jr. and trainer/owner Jared Cooper.

Sunday’s 12:40 card has a $15,000 and a $14,000 pace for seasoned speedsters. Mac’s Delight is the favorite for the higher purse despite the outside post six, with the other group sees Sport Secret, the chalk, likely to be challenged by the mare Man Dontforget Me, a rare incursion by a female into a class usually populated by males. Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia