Giant payoffs in Philly feature events

CHESTER PA – At Harrah’s Philadelphia on a warm Friday afternoon, three perfect-trip horses, two of them “pocket rockets,” were harness racing winners who caused the tote board to blow up with giant mutual payoffs, with this big-return phenomenon occurring in both the feature races.

MYSTIC MOMENT REPLAY

The feature was a $12,000 pace for up-and-coming distaffs, and it went to the Control The Moment sophomore filly Mystic Moment, a well-traveled sort who came to Philly and promptly returned $90.80 for a $2 win ticket. William Carter guided the winner into the pocket early behind favored Sweet Odds, enjoyed the golden seat until the far turn, then came out and went by the chalk to win by 1½ lengths in a career best 1:52.3, with poor Sweet Odds finishing second for the sixth time in a row and the tenth time this year.

Mystic Moment is trained by Besim Odza for Brian and Ira Wallach Racing.

In the $11,000 co-feature handicap for fast-class horses, Miss Chantilly N swung wide off lively cover then dashed home in :26.3 to win in a new lifetime best of 1:50.3 and return $45.40 to her scattered backers. Jack Pelling, whose three driving successes on the day topped the sulkysitters colony, handled the winning daughter of Captaintreacherous, making only her second local start since coming from Canada, for trainer Dylan Davis, who is also co-owner with Howard Taylor.

MISS CHANTILLY N REPLAY

Another $50+ bomber connected in the race before Miss Chantilly N’s win, and she was the other two-hole success story. The Somebeachsomewhere mare Pearl Harbour N sat in the pocket, ducked to the inside, and withstood a late burst from Giovona By The Sea while winning in 1:55.2 for driver Mike Cole, trainer Bryson Dunning, and owner Robert Kluchevitz. Pearl Harbour N paid $65.80 to win – Philly had not had a $50+ winner since July 23, but on Friday it had two in one day.

The racing week concludes at Harrah’s Philly on Sunday, with a card beginning at 12:40 that features higher-class horses in various combinations of class matchings; there will also be carryover going into the fifth race Pick 5 pool. 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