Longshot upsets at Harrah’s at 59-1 odds

CHESTER, PA – A longshot, AP Hall of Trix ($121.00), and a favorite, Steel ($3.00), emerged as the winners of the $14,400 co-featured “n/w 5 races” trots on Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

The $470,000 yearling Glacier Hanover acted as if he were trying to earn that price back all at once, sailing out to the lead in :26.4, then rebuffing an attempt to control the pace by 1-9 favorite Pivotal to a :55 half.

The outside challenger backed off in the backstretch, and the pacesetter hit the three-quarters in 1:25, but he could not survive those fractions.

Meanwhile, Pat Berry had gotten the Trixton gelding AP Hall Of Trix into the outside flow, went up behind it as led by a rejuvenated Pivotal, then went wide to the lead and held off Big Sky Ex by half-length in 1:56.1 for owner/trainer David Hoover.

AP HALL OF TRIX REPLAY

Steel, a 1-2 favorite, went out to the lead for driver Tyler Miller just before a :28 quarter, and then he too had to dealing with an early brusher in SJ’s Lady Lou, with the two hitting the half in :56.2. That pace proved too much for pocketsitting Pilot Hanover, who broke at that point, with SJ’s Lady Lou going into the two-hole before eventually fading.

The Chapter Seven sophomore gelding Steel, meanwhile, went to the three-quarters in 1:25.4, then had enough to deal with the late kick of Boom Boom Bay by 2¾ lengths while reducing his record to 1:54.3.

Julie Miller conditions the winner of $207,611 for the ownership of Pinske Stables and Crawford Farm Racing.

STEEL REPLAY

For much of the $13,000 fast-class trot, Bluffiner looked like he would be tough to overhaul, carrying an open-length lead from before the half to the far turn, but then a 20-day layoff caught up with him, and the pocketsitting Swan In Motion picked up the pace and went by easily in 1:54.1, 3¾ lengths ahead of the pacesetter.

The Indiana star, a son of Swan For All trained by Dylan Davis, has now earned $478,735, $81.890 of that total for owner Howard Taylor since he was purchased after his 2020 Breeders Crown elimination.

Trotters again take center stage at Philly on Friday, with the popular “nw 3 races” class hosting one $12,600 event; this race will be supplemented by an $11,200 event for fast-class pacers.

For full race results, click here. 

From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia