Philly opens and George Nap wins six

CHESTER PA –Harrah’s Philadelphia opened its 2025 harness racing season Friday during a special evening card, and although the weather was not very cooperative (mid-40s temperatures and a “sloppy +2” surface), the featured trotting classes put on a good show.

The big story of the night was eight-time Philly dashwinning champion George Napolitano Jr., currently the leader at Pocono and translating his hot form to the southeast Pennsylvania track with six wins on the night, including two of the three feature races. In the headline $13,500 trot, “George Nap” never looked back with the You Know You Do gelding Knowyoucando, taking over before the quarter and having firm control in the latter stages before stopping the clock in 1:56.2. Jeff Cullipher trains the winner, now a winner in half his four seasonal starts, for Pollack Racing LLC.

KNOWYOUCANDO REPLAY

The four-year-old Bold Eagle gelding Modigliani S got an early spot in the $12,000 co-featured trot, then made a break, but he recovered quickly and reslotted fifth. Andrew McCarthy (himself visiting Victory Lane three times during the first card of the season) was then able to back out Modigliani S behind the live cover of Give Me A Yankee down the backstretch, followed that one as he went to the lead, then caught him by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.1. Nifty Norman had the horse ready after over two months away for owner Lella Montgomery.

All Wrapped Up mastered the $11,000 fast-class field upon reuniting with Harrah’s Philly, making two speed moves and handily defeating opponents with over $3 million in lifetime earnings in a 1:56.1 mile. Joe Bongiorno conditions the Archangel gelding for Jennifer Bongiorno Stable LLC and Howard Taylor.

Harrah’s Philly concludes its short inaugural opening week on Sunday with a 12:40 start; a $13,500 handicap pace for developing horses will be the sixth race feature. Philly will race through June on a schedule of Thursday and Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40, with the exception of being dark on Easter Sunday (April 20) and adding a Saturday card at noon on Kentucky Derby Day (May 3). 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