McCarthy wins three of four Philly features

CHESTER PA –Driver Todd McCarthy, clicking at just over a 25% clip for the year at Harrah’s Philadelphia, was the dominant force on the Sunday afternoon harness racing card at Philly, winning three of the four feature races on a cool day for June 1.

A pair of $12,000 contests for developing younger horses topped the bill of fare.

One division was carded for male pacers, and was the only feature to elude the hot-driving McCarthy, as Team Ryder, driver-son Patrick and trainer-father Chris, had the Bettor’s Wish gelding World Of Wishes back to his Weiss Series prelim-winning form, scoring 1:53.2.

World Of Wishes brushed just after Best Chip took the field to the quarter in :28.1, got a :57.3 breather to the half, passed the three-quarters still in control in 1:25.1, and maintained his advantage to the wire by  a neck over closing Hotchkiss (like the winner sent off at even money; World Of Wishes was slightly favored), with 26-1 Best Chip only another neck behind.

WORLD OF WISHES REPLAY

The winner is owned by Phillip Steinberg.

In the trotting contest, 56-1 shot Southwind Python had the lead from post eight before the eighth pole and put up fractions of :28.4, :59, and 1:27.1. Favored pocketsitter Bay Breeze Hanover moved outside but could make no impact; Mispanzee, who had sat third and followed the chalk out, ducked back in for the drive and just worked by the gallant potential upsetter for a half length victory in 1:56.3. It was indeed Todd McCarthy drove who the successful Gimpanzee filly, now a winner of two straight, for trainer Noel Daley and owner Thaddeus Wier.

MISPANZEE REPLAY

An $11,000 handicap pace for the fast-class veterans saw Todd use the Million Dollar Cam gelding Pat McGarry A hard to get the lead, then make sure favorite Fearful Intent paid an even higher price for the pacesetting role. McCarthy then sat in the two-hole with the winner of $385,803 until midway on the far turn, where he moved to challenge, and the pair wore down the leader by  a neck in 1:51 for trainer Joe Bongiorno and owner Howard Taylor.

PAT MCGARRY A REPLAY

The top claiming handicap pacers at Philly also went for an $11,000 purse, a race won by the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Hervey Hanover, who has now won four of his last six after a 1:52.1 triumph in which he won by 4¾ lengths. It was McCarthy again in the sulky behind the favored winner of $293,664 for trainer Per Engblom and owner Daniel Sarafian.

In addition to Todd McCarthy’s heroics, drivers Mark Herschberger and David Miller had doubles, as did trainer Izzy Estrada; Estrada’s double also gave him joint top spot in the conditioners derby at 13 wins with Trond Smedshammer.

Racing resumes at Philly on “Trottin’ Thursday” with a 12:25 card, with this week’s emphasis on the fast-class type as they race for $14,000 and $13,000 in the featured events. The rest of next week’s cards will be on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. 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