Itsonlymoneyhoney impressive in Chill

CHESTER PA – With the temperature registering just two degrees above freezing, the Banker Volo sophomore trotting gelding Itsonlymoneyhoney provided the heat by winning the trotting section of a pair of $11,200 features in a lifetime best of 1:55.4 on Friday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia.

The recent import from Iowa via Hoosier and Yonkers had to go first-over, but he proved more than equal to the task, coming his own back half in :56.4 for driver Andrew McCarthy (a three-time winner on the afternoon). Itsonlymoneyhoney won by 4¾ lengths over favored Father Dunn, who tried to follow his cover but could not stay with him. The Rob Harmon-trained three-year-old, owned by Harmon Racing Stable LLC, Lawrence Kittenplan, and Winners Circle Racing LLC, won his second straight, and he has recorded 12 victories in but 34 lifetime starts.

In the pacing section of the feature, the Rockin Image four-year-old gelding Rockin Medicine visited Victory Lane for the first time in 885 days (July 26 of his freshman form), setting the pace and then pacing gamely to withstand a long first-over bid from Surfer Beach for a neck tally in 1:53.4. Marcus Miller drove the winner, who had shown sharp form with three straight seconds against good opposition since coming to Philly, for trainer/father Erv and the partnership of Red Barn Stable and Louis Willinger.

The $10,000 fast-class pace saw Shnitzledosomethin, second in his Breeders Crown freshman final three years ago, raise his lifetime earnings to $784,833 with a nice engine victory in 1:51.1 for Todd McCarthy. The son of Fred And Ginger, making his second start since a short layoff, looks ready for better opposition for trainer Dylan Davis and the partnership of Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen, and Richard Lombardo.

Trainer Ron Burke and Gilbert Garcia-Herrera each trained a winner on the Friday card; they remain knotted at the top of the Philly training standings with 86 victories, with but four cards to go in the local 2020 season.

PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia