Knockout Round had the most punch at Philly

CHESTER PA – Knockout Round (Sweet Lou) had the most punch late to win the $13,500 featured pace for up-and-coming male pacers in 1:51, during a Sunday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia where the track condition improved from “sloppy” at the start to “good” and then to “fast” for the bulk of the racing.

KNOCKOUT ROUND REPLAY

Driver Mark Herschberger was originally named on second-choice Knockout Road and favored Rockin James, and his choice was a winning choice. Rockin James stepped around Knockout Round early in a :26.3 quarter, backed off the half to :56, didn’t encounter much pressure to a 1:24.1 three-quarters, then braced for the late move of the potential pocket rocket.

Rockin James stepped home in :26.4 himself, but that late speed, which would win him most races, was not enough to stall the victorious altered sophomore son of Sweet Lou, who went by and had a neck advantage at the wire while kicking home in :26.3. Tony Alagna conditions Knockout Round, who had been facing top-drawer stakes company earlier in the summer, for Micki Rae Stables LLC and Riverview Racing LLC.

A $12,000 pace for developing males just below the feature’s level was won by the Captaintreacherous three-year-old gelding Combative, who made the lead early, rated the pace, then held off pocketsitter Heaven Needs Me while pacing a :27.1 last quarter in a 1:52.4 mile. George Napolitano guided the Joe Pavia Jr. trainee for the partnership of Steven Held, Pint Size Racing LLC, John Whitig, and Donald Kayser.

COMBATIVE REPLAY

A cagey drive by Corey Callahan helped Hellabalou boost his lifetime earnings to $1,539,421 by winning the $11,000 fast-class pace in 1:50.4. Outleft to both sides from post two, Callahan never went to the rail, holding his two-wide position until after early fireworks cleared, then brought the veteran son of Sweet Lou to the lead in front of the stands. In the stretch foes charged at the leader from both sides, but he held his ground well to the finish, with Mamba coming up the rail to be second, decisioning Bettor Not Talk in the photo for the deuce. Ron Burke, continuing his big Pennsylvania weekend, conditions the winner for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Phil Collura, and Lawrence Karr.

HELLABLOU REPLAY

There was also a pair of $11,000 paces for the highest-priced claimers at the track, both contested when the track was “sloppy.” The faster went to the Custard The Dragon gelding Angelo, now an eleven-time winner on the season after recording ten victories last year, winning Sunday in 1:52 for driver Jack Pelling, trainer Darren Taneyhill, and P T Stable. The other was taken by the 8-1 shot Perfect Promises, rallying from the pocket to catch the pacesetter Hello Gorgeous in 1:52.3 for driver Mark Herschberger, trainer Clay Faurot Jr., and owners Chelsey Faurot and Christina Bayley.

Eight-time leading Philly win driver (and four-time UDR king) George Napolitano Jr. was the biggest winner on the day with four visits to the winners circle. The current meet’s leading driver, Izzy Estrada, sent out three winners.

Racing resumes Thursday at 12:40 with the traditional “Trottin’ Thursday” card of talented diagonal-gaited performers. 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