Philly card featured top claimers in action

CHESTER, PA – Harrah’s Philadelphia raised its uppermost price for harness racing claiming horses from $25,000 to $30,000 for Sunday’s card, and the twin features were $13,000 pacing handicaps for horses valued between $25,000 to $30,000. One division was held before, and one after, a midcard rainstorm that changed the track condition from “fast” to “sloppy.”

Before the moisture came, Bellows Binge (Bettor’s Delight) was a top-class winner in 1:52.2. Montrell Teague yielded for the pocket with the gelding, sat calmly and then was able to find room up the inside just as the outer tiers started go by the leader at the top of the stretch. The rally of Bellows Binge secured a half-length victory over a closing Hundie N for trainer Darren Taneyhill and owner Robert Manis while raising his career earnings to $337,080.

BELLOWS BINGE REPLAY

The other feature division went only a tick slower despite the track going over to “sloppy,” with the Yankee Cruiser gelding Yankee Osborne also using a pocket journey as a means to success.

Driver Braxten Boyd did not choose to wait for an inner stretch path, but moved Yankee Osborne, now a winner of $258.503, outside on the far turn to challenge leading Major Bean and then sail by that one by 2¼ lengths for trainer Marc Mosher and owner Jerry Zollo.

Yankee Osborne (for $27,000) was one of four horses claimed out of this race, with the new owners in aggregate splashing out $113,250 on the race. The totals for claiming on the day – 12 horses changing hands for $257,000 – both represented seasonal highs at the southeast Pennsylvania oval.

YANKEE OSBORNE REPLAY

Simon Allard, Braxten Boyd, and George Napolitano Jr. all enjoyed three victories on the dank afternoon.

Harrah’s Philadelphia is now in the fall phase of its basic schedule, with racing on Thursday and Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. This coming Sunday the popular Liberty Bell stakes series for PA-sired horses begins with events for freshman fillies of both gaits. Program pages are or will be available by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here.

From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia