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CHESTER PA – Harrah’s Philadelphia has a little bit extra to celebrate during this holiday season, as during its Christmas Eve noontime harness racing program, the track handled $1,587,638 – the biggest betting total ever at the southeast Pennsylvania oval.
Trainer Joe Bongiorno made a sweep of the two handicap fast–class pacing spotlight races, both coming over a track below peak speed due to the cold and the wet conditions preceding the card, and both making the journey from Yonkers to Philly successfully.
The $15,000 fast-class handicap sidewheeling headliner saw the Rocknroll Hanover gelding Rock Diamonds N leaving powerfully from post eight to easily clear to the lead, then remaining in firm control to cover the mile in 1:51.3, the fastest winning time in almost three years for the 11-year-old winner of $947,701.
George Napolitano Jr. guided the evergreen pacer for Ben Mondello and JB Racing.
ROCK DIAMONDS N REPLAY
In the $14,000 sub-feature fast-class handicap pace, Bongiorno sent out the Lazarus N gelding Vici, who proved himself well-named with a 1:52.1 victory, which was a lifetime best. Vici sat a comfortable pocket then pulled out to challenge nearing headstretch, pacing off late to a two length triumph for driver Johnathan Ahle. JB Racing had their second feature winner of the day, this time in partnership with Barbara Bongiorno Stable LLC.
VICI REPLAY
George Napolitano Jr. led the drivers with four tallies on the day, all for different trainers. Justin Huckabone guided three winners, two for trainer Bruce Lauer – the last of which was literally the focus of the entire horse racing world, as globally no other track was racing according to the simulcast bet system. Teaming up for doubles were driver Corey Callahan and trainer Ron Burke, and driver Tony Morgan and trainer Darren Taneyhill.
Only three cards remain in 2024 at Harrah’s Philadelphia – racing will be held on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40 as usual, and then there will be a special New Year’s Eve card on Tuesday, December 31, when post time will be 4 p.m. 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
