By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – A good helping of “pedigree” – both equine and human – helped the winners of three $16,000 events for two-year-olds at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on a cool (but finally sunny) Tuesday afternoon.
 
Team Pelling – driver-son Jack and trainer-father Brett – took the two paces, one for each gait, with a stakes-placed youngster. History, a colt by Downbytheseaside out of Balance, a half-sister to millionaire two-time O’Brien winner L A Delight, showed a closing kick reminiscent of his stablemate, star sophomore filly Miss Jum Jabber, as he broke his maiden in 1:52.1 for Diamond Creek Racing. Sixth, four lengths behind, and inside at the three quarters, History angled wide and flashed home in :27.2 to win by 1½ lengths.
 
The freshman pacing filly winner for the Pellings was Gift Of Faith, a daughter of Captaintreacherous out of Cannae Cammie, a three-quarter sister to the $2.4M winner Test Of Faith. Gift Of Faith took over the racetrack by the quarter and stopped home in :28.2 to capture her first race in 1:54.2 for David Mc Duffee, Paul Bordogna, and Melvin Hartman.
 
Another father-son duo – trainer Chris Ryder and driver Patrick – accounted for the sole trotting feature, for females, with Andersson Hanover, by the white-hot sire Captain Corey out of Angel Eyes Hanover, a half-sister to the exported $700,000+ winner Ambassador Hanover. Andersson Hanover, second in her Stallion Series Championship, regained the lead at the half and won in 1:57.4, now giving her three wins and three seconds in six starts for owner John McKeon Jr.
 
Braxten Boyd led all drivers with three victories. Team Pelling, as mentioned, and Team Ryder, who also combined on an overnight winner, each had two victories per generation; other drivers doubling up were meet leader Tyler Buter, Anthony Napolitano (giving him eight wins in the three-day racing week), and Ridge Warren.
 
Pocono opens its October action on Saturday at 1 p.m., with several of the highest-levels of fast-class veteran pacers being brought together. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – As they had been over the last several days, the atmospheric conditions in the Mid-Atlantic on Monday afternoon were still far from favorable, and the horses and drivers who won the featured races at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania used off-the-pace tactics, aided by a stretch tailwind, to gain the major portion of the prizemoney.
 
The $18,500 fast-class trotting feature was won by the Walner mare (and aptly-named) Sapphirerainstar in 1:55. With his horse coming off breaks in her last two purse starts, driver Simon Allard opted for conservative inside tactics, but when space developed to move out on the final turn, the winner of $204,035 unleashed a giant :27.1 closing kick to catch the pacesetter Breezy Hall by three-quarters of a length. Breezy Hall is the winner’s stablemate in the Mark Akins barn, and is owned by Akins; Sapphirerainstar is owned by Akins and Allard’s A 1 Racing, which is how Simon wound up driving the winner.
 
Perhaps the best performance of the day, and perhaps the best performer overall, was the Papi Rob Hanover sophomore filly Say Goodnight, who missed just a neck to the star Miss Jum Jabber (at 64-1) in the recent PA Sire Stakes Championship and actually came home a hair faster than her from off her back. In the $15,500 co-feature class for distaff pacers, Say Goodnight sat the pocket behind the soft pace of Amira Hanover; entering the stretch, driver Tyler Buter briefly analyzed his inside prospects, then pulled Say Goodnight outside, and the fleet filly responded with an individual last quarter of :26.3 to catch the leader by a safe three quarters of a length. A PaSS champion at two (at 62-1), Say Goodnight now has a bankroll of $393,000 for trainer Nicholas Devita and owners David Hamm and Glenn Phillips.
 
There were two divisions of the co-feature for trotters. One went to one of the hottest trainers in Pennsylvania, whether at the pari-mutuels or fair, David Wiest; his pupil Cherokee Chief, a three-year-old International Moni gelding, advanced raw then stepped his final panel in :28.3 to defeat the horse following his cover, Peteza, by a neck, with Braxten Boyd doing the driving for owner Bimmie Strasser.
 
In the other trot co-feature, Skydiver made a brief break at the start, bounced back quickly, then benefitted from an overcooked pace to rally from sixth at headstretch and prevail in 1:55.3 (a brief inquiry showed no breaking violation). George Napolitano Jr. was in the sulky behind the son of Greenshoe for trainer Laura Angle and owners Howard and Joshua Kauffman.
 
In the ten races that were not the feature or co-features, Anthony Napolitano won half the time, triumphing from every imaginable spot on the racetrack, from first at the half to last at the half. “A Nap” also drove both winners for the only training doubler on the day, Pete Pellegrino; Simon Allard and Tyler Buter paraded back two winners apiece.
 
Three $16,000 features for developing two-year-olds will headline the Tuesday at 1 p.m. program, the last of the racing week at Pocono. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA –The John Simpson Sr. stakes series, honoring the Hall of Fame horseman and breeding executive with a race in each of the eight stakes categories named after a horse with whom he was associated in his career, opened its annual stay at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday with the Albatross, with three $30,000 divisions for sophomore pacing males. The atmospheric conditions may not have been the greatest (moist, cool, and windy), but the racing certainly was first-rate.
 
“I really didn’t expect a 1:49 mile today,” said Pocono announcer Jim Beviglia, but that’s exactly what was delivered by the Downbytheseaside gelding Gentleman’s Club in winning his cut. Like most winners on the day, Gentleman’s Club, just a head off in third in the Meadowlands Pace, came from behind, grinding up after fractions of :26.4,:54, and 1:21.3 to seize the lead approaching headstretch and draw off by five lengths. Andrew McCarthy had the drive behind the winner of $486,406 for trainer Aaron Lambert and owner Anthony Licastro.
 
McCarthy took a second victory with the only nonfavorite of the stakes trio, tucking third with the Papi Rob Hanover gelding Callmebigpapi and staying pylonbound through fractions of :26.4, :55.3, and 1:23.4. The outer tiers stalled, favored Superchamp Hanover looked ready to pounce from the Pocono Pike – only to get outclosed to his left by the winner, fifth at the stretch call but kicking home himself in :27 to edge Superchamp Hanover at 7-1 by a half length while tying his mark of 1:51.1 for trainer Noel Daley and the ownership of Patricia Stables LLC, L. A. Express Stable LLC, Sjoeblom Racing inc., and Michael Dolan.
 
The Captaintreacherous gelding Another C Note, who won three legs of his Sire Stakes in May, is still going on well in September, recording his eleventh victory of the year with a three quarter length tally over Highland B Best in 1:50.1. “B Best” quarter-moved after a :27 opener and put up middle splits of :55.1 and 1:23.1, but Another C Note kept on coming despite an uncovered journey and got the decision for the leading driver and trainer at Pocono, Tyler Buter and Ron Burke, and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Let It Ride Stable Inc., and Scott Dillon.
 
A $25,000 fast-class pace went to one of the few speed horses to hold to the wire, the So Surreal gelding Splash Brother, who fired off fractions of 26.2, :55, and 1:22.3, then was held together by driver Braxten Boyd to have a three quarters of a length margin at the 1:50.1 finish for trainer Ray Schnittker, co-owner with Nolamaura Racing LLC, Steven Arnold, and Tammy Flannery. The victory was the fourth in the last five starts for Splash Brother; the only horse to beat him recently, Congressional, again raced in the pocket behind the winner but this time could not catch him, and indeed was placed third for a pylon violation.
 
Trainer Darren Taneyhill was the biggest winner on the day, visiting Victory Lane four times. Three drivers had driving doubles, with Brett Beckwith the only one of this quartet to win with a Taneyhill horse; the other two-time winners were Braxten Boyd and stakes doubler Andrew McCarthy.
 
The foul weather that soaked Pocono’s Saturday card is hanging over the area, causing Sunday’s card to be canceled at Pocono’s sister PHHA track, Harrah’s Philadelphia. It is hoped that the moisture is ended by Pocono’s next scheduled card, Monday at 1 p.m., when fast-class trotters are set to contest an $18,500 feature. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Car Keys, a three-year-old daughter of Always B Miki, had to clear some traffic trouble in a very contested $14,000 distaff pacing feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon, but she was steered to a flowing lane by driver Patrick Ryder and got the job done as the favorite in 1:52.2.
 
Car Keys, starting from post six in a field of seven, settled for the pocket behind an early :27.3 quarter, which became third-in position as a foe went on to clear well before the :55.4 half. The outer tier was in high gear passing the pylonsitters down the back, with Ryder able to get to the two-wide passing lane going towards the 1:23.4 three quarters. 23-1 Dominican Sunshine, a part of the lively backstretch train, took the lead into the stretch, but Car Keys was able to shift to high gear and went past the longshot by half a length. A winner of three of her last four starts (the loss was a good third in her NJ Classic Final), Car Keys is trained by Patrick’s father Chris for Margaret Dey and Matthew Stolte
 
In the $12,000 co-feature for developing distaffs, the Cattlewash sophomore filly Aardies A Wash made it two straight since coming here from Canada, hitting the wire in 1:53.4. Driver George Napolitano Jr. did well to hold the filly together as she took the odd rough step entering the first turn seeking the lead, made the top of the quarter, and held sway the rest of the way, with two-hole favorite Kissin In The Dark narrowing in gradually late but coming up a head shy. Petter Engblom trains the winner for M T Stables Ontario Inc.
 
There were also two $12,000 pacing events for two-year-olds, one for each sex.
 
The event for males saw Somehriznsomewhere and No Easy Touch installed as the two favorites, in that order. Somehriznsomehere got to the front and set most of the pace, but No Easy Touch, who worked out a pocket trip, was able to come up the inside from driver Troy Beyer and catch the chalk by a neck         while establishing a maiden mark of 1:54.2. Linda Toscano trains the winning Bettor’s Wish – Drop The Ball gelding for Let It Ride Stables Inc., South Mountain Stables, Hutchison Harness and CT Stables.
 
Among the fillies, the Captaintreacherous – Bet On Sunday miss Treacherous Bet, a solid checkgetter in Sire Stakes competition, made her first start for the Burke Brigade a successful one while taking a new mark of 1:55.1. Her 1-9* backers had a few anxious moments as Treacherous Bet raced in midpack until swinging wide off the far turn, whereupon Simon Allard got a good closing burst out of her to catch pacesetter Ponytail Pete by a length for the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc., and Frank Baldachino.
 
Simon Allard and George Napolitano Jr. both won four races at Philly Friday; Napolitano drove both winners for the only trainer to double on the day, Dean Eckley.
 
Racing resumes at Philly on Sunday at 12:40, with the $16,000 handicap pace feature gathering a group who could threaten 1:50. Then after that card, Harrah’s will be taking a week off from live racing, with the trotters and pacers next racing at the riverside oval on Thursday, October 8. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Full Of Muscles, a Muscle Mass gelding who had last raced at Yonkers on August 6, came back to the races strongly for trainer Doug Dilloian Jr. to win the $16,000 top handicap trot Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia in a lifetime best 1:53.
 
Hey Porter yielded the early lead to the winner, who in turn surrendered the top to race favorite Little Expensive towards the :27.1 quarter. The chalk passed the next striped pole in :55.3, then had Super Duper Cooper, last week’s winner in this class and assigned the outside in the field of eight, pressure him raw to and past a 1:24.3 three quarters, with Full Of Muscles in prime position.
 
In the stretch it was the pacesetter and not the grinder who gave way first, but as Super Duper Cooper got a slim lead Porter had Full Of Muscles in high gear quickly, and he outfooted the first-over by a length. Full Of Muscles, now a winner of $348,836, is owned by David Linker, Brian Loman, and Robert Venable.
 
The demise of Little Expensive, the even money favorite who finished fifth, helped cause a Superfecta carryover with the first four finishers being Full Of Muscles (18-1), Super Duper Cooper (3-1), Hey Porter (7-1), and Clear For Landing (20-1).
 
The $13,000 fast-class handicap subfeature saw Outside The Fire overcome the dreaded tuck-the-first-over journey, grinding down the pacesetter and then keeping potential pocket rocket Bright Side Up at bay by two lengths in 1:53.2. Johnathan Ahle sat behind the victorious Cantab Hall gelding, whose career earnings are now $490.432, for trainer Enrico Robinson and Pollack Racing LLC.
 
The Father Patrick sophomore filly Misty Blue won her first three starts upon joining the barn of Philly’s leading trainer Joe Bongiorno, but made a miscue in her last start. All system were back to “go” on Thursday in a $13,500 contest for developing diamondgaiters, as driver Austin Siegelman put the distaff on the lead, got a soft middle half then sprinted home in :28.2 to stay clear of first-over challenger Captainforlife AS by 2¼ lengths in 1:55.1 for El Dorado Stables, one of the hottest outfits around.
 
George Napolitano Jr. topped the horsemen’s colony with three sulky victories; doubles were turned in by drivers Mark Herschberger, Trae Porter, Austin Siegelman, and trainer Enrico Robinson.
 
Pacing mares will be in the spotlight for the Friday card at 12:25, with a $14,000 feature slotted for the eleventh race; the racing week then concludes Sunday at 12:40. After that, Philly will be dark for live racing the following week; the trotters and pacers at the southeast Pennsylvania oval on Thursday, October 8. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Five groups of two-year-olds went postward for $16,000 and steps towards realizing their potential on Tuesday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. The trotting fillies had two divisions; each of the other groups was featured in one race.
 
Perhaps the horse with the most pedigree potential was the trotting colt Oil Jack S, by Ready Cash out of Eddiction; the dam is out of Yankee Blondie, also the dam of champion Muscle Hill. “Jack” had made breaks in his first two purse starts, but he showed he is getting the hang of the game under the tutelage of Marcus Melander by taking the lead after the quarter then going on to a 1:57 victory, with :58.1 - :28.4 back fractions. Braxten Boyd drove the intriguing prospect for Courant Inc., PCW Racing LLC, and Kemppi Stables Oy Inc.
 
The faster featured trotting filly winner was Balara Bay (Greenshoe – Wind Stroll), who worked to the top in front of the stands the first time then continued on to her second victory, this one in 1:57.2 - :29 for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Nifty Norman, and owners Tony Holmes and June Zent.
 
This group’s other division was won by the Tactical Landing – Made It Happen miss I’m A Hugger, who had a wide lead through most of the back half then came home to post a maiden mark of 1:58.2 for driver Braxten Boyd, trainer Ray Schnittker, and the partnership of Daisy Acres and Vincent Ali Jr.
 
The Papi Rob Hanover – Happy Hannah pacing filly Happy Papi caught the eye as she won her section of the feature in 1:53 to lower her mark by over four seconds. She never looked back while coming home in :56.2 - :27.4 for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Nicholas Devita, and owner David Hamm and Glenn Phillips.
 
Devita, Hamm and Phillips also were part of the braintrust behind the pacing colt Lions Not Sheep, who overcame an absence of 39 days to win off cover by a half length over first-up Captains Echo while reducing his mark to 1:55; Ridge Warren drove the son of Stay Hungry – Continualou, and Pit Bull Stable LLC is also in on his membership.
 
Drivers Braxten Boyd and Ridge Warren each came home first three times on the card; piloting two success stories were Tyler Buter, Anthony Napolitano, and Jim Pantaleano. Trainer Nicholas Devita’s  sweep of the baby pacing features earned the only training’s double of the program.
 
Racing resumes at Pocono with a 1 p.m. card Saturday with the first of the season’s John Simpson Sr. Stakes, with each division named after a star with whom Simpson was associated during his Hall of Fame career; the three-year-old pacing colts start off the 2026 series with the Albatross, which contains three $30,000 divisions. Free Pocono programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Right now there are few Standardbred horses as well-named as Resolve To Win, who has taken four of his last five starts, including the last two featured trots at Pocono after emerging victorious in Tuesday’s $27,500 fast-class handicap feature in 1:52.3.
 
An Åke Svanstedt trainee, the 2025 Hambletonian champion Nordic Catcher S, was the pre-race favorite, but the bad luck that has limited that horse to only three starts since that Hambletonian win 415 days ago again plagued him as he was a sick scratch. But the newly-elected Hall of Famer Svanstedt still sent out the favorite in Hustle Rain S, beaten only three-quarters of a length by world champion Dame Good Time in his only U.S. start. Hustle Rain S went off at 3-5, Resolve To Win at even money (he has been favored only once since hitting his top stride).
 
Resolve To Win, a Resolve gelding trained by Enrico Robinson for Pollack Racing LLC, needed most of a :27 first quarter to take command from Hustle Rain S, but driver George Napolitano Jr. was then able to give the leader a very helpful slowdown to reach the half in :56.2. The three-quarters came and went in 1:24.4, and still Resolve To Win had no challenge for the lead; Hustle Rain S gave the winner his best shot in the lane, but could only get to within three parts of a length in a :27.4 kicker.
 
There were two $16,000 co-featured events, one on each gait. George Napolitano Jr. also guided the winner of the trotting subfeature, the Walner gelding Abruzzo, who set all the pace and came home in :56.1 to claim an easy 1:53 victory, his third in his last four starts, for trainer Marc Mosher and owner P  T Stable. Abruzzo fit the class by using the $30,000 claiming AE option, but he who lives by the tag can be done in by the tag as well; Abruzzo was claimed Tuesday, but not before earning his connections $16,000 in purse money since they themselves haltered him on August 31.
 
In the cofeatured pace, limited to mares, trainer Doug Dilloian sent out the 1-2 finishers, with  the JK Endofanera mare JK Pearl Stone able to get a neck up on the money over favored pacesetter Stayingwiththewind in a 1:52.3 - :56- :27.3 mile that saw the first five within a length of each other at the wire. JK Pearl Stone raced second-over as the chalk and first-over Blue Chip Lou N dueled on the far turn; when the Kiwi bore wide nearing headstretch, “JK”’s driver Anthony Napolitano kept his cool in not trying to go wider around the drifter, but held his two-wide position, waited a couple of seconds to ascertain a clear lane would be available to him, then knifed through to get the nod in the blanket finish.
 
Matt Kakaley and Anthony Napolitano both drove three winners on the day; Tyler Buter, Ridge Warren, and George Napolitano Jr. each had two (the last-named guiding the winners of the only doubling trainer, Marc Mosher).
 
Tuesday’s 1 p.m. Pocono performance will be highlighted by five fields of developing two-year-olds, each racing for $16,000. Saturday (also 1 p.m. post) will mark the 2026 start of the John Simpson Sr. stakes series, with the races in each of the eight divisions named after a horse with whom he was associated in his Hall of Fame career: Saturday’s race is called the Albatross, for three-year-old male pacers, and it will go in three $30,000 divisions. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Christopher Dance N, a Kiwi son of Sweet Lou who won the #senditin Pace on 20thAnniversary Night here at Harrah’s eight days ago, came right back to repeat in Sunday’s afternoon $16,000 featured pace, rallying on the inside for a 1:49.1 victory.
 
Christopher Dance N’s chances appeared to improve when two late scratches in the feature moved his post from seven to five; also figuring to be helped was the Harrington shipper Wehadababyetzaboy, already a 12-time winner in 2026 and now bidding for #13 from post six instead of post eight. But both got a rough early time from Always A Thrill, who kept his foes two- and three-wide most of the :25.4 quarter before yielding; “Christopher” went to the top then yielded to the Delaware shipper.
 
Wehadababyetzaboy got a mini-breather to a :54.1 half, then had to speed up again to keep out Back Pocket Miki to and past the 1:21.4 three quarters, with the winner sitting the dream trip. In the stretch driver Simon Allard took the winner of $302,105, now successful in 18 of 37 lifetime starts, inside of the leader and showed him clear road, and the two-holer overhauled his foe by three quarters of a length for trainer Enrico Robinson and Pollack Racing LLC.
 
The $13,500 co-featured pace for up-and-coming males saw the Tom Hill gelding Moneyhill GB present himself ready after 70 days away from the races, making the lead just after the first turn and then pacing home strongly in :55.1 - :27.1 to equal his record of 1:51.1. Also a “serial winner” (18-for-46 lifetime), Moneyhill GB may get even better with more racing for trainer Robert Cleary and Haughfield Racing.


Two Sunday winners were achieved by a trio of “#2 drivers”:  Jim Marohn Jr., George Napolitano Jr., and Art Stafford Jr. Trainers doubling were Julius Czermann Jr. and Darren Taneyhill.
 
Racing returns to Harrah’s Philadelphia on “Trottin’ Thursday” with a 12:25 card; last week’s feature winner Super Duper Cooper has been put “behind the eight ball” in this handicap headliner. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Always B Miki gelding Congressional may not win very many “style” points for his gait, but he can go with anybody in a battle of stretch courage, just as he did Saturday at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, when he won the $21,000 featured pace in 1:49.4.
 
In an early three-way dance for the lead, Be Dazzled Lou A (post four) was the first to back off, tucking third, as Splash Brother (post six, driver Braxten Boyd) and Congressional (post one, Kevin Wallis) battled for the top, which was gained by Splash Brother after a :25.4 opener. Congressional put in a couple of his funky steps on the way to the wire the first time but quickly smoothed down, as Splash Bother cut middle fractions of :54.4 and 1:21.4, with favored first-over Maximus Miki coming to him.
 
But for most of the lane the battle boiled down to the pacesetter and the pocketsitter utilizing the Pocono Pike.  In a fierce duel, driver-trainer-owner Kevin Wallis kept after his winner of $436,988 right to the line, where Congressional got the nod by the smallest of margins.
 
But the race was not OFFICIAL yet – the judges posted the INQUIRY light to examine the action off the first turn. It was found that Congressional did make a off-then-on type of break, violating no rules and bothering no one, and so his number was left up.
 
There was a pair of $17,500 events for horses looking to rise up on the classification ladder. The pace in this class also went in 1:49.4, which was a new mark for the Huntsville gelding Imgoingtojackson, whom driver Ridge Warren raced second-over then got him to go by for a 1¼ length victory over pacesetter Hardt Of A King. Imgoingtojackson was an impressive longshot winner in his local debut, then made a break last time, but on Saturday he has his A-game ready for trainer Deborah Daguet and owner Ellen Mc Neil.
 
The trotting counterpart to this contest was won by Jog On Col, an altered son of Marseille who was home first in 1:54.3 for driver-trainer Jim Pantaleano and owner Lynne Foley. Jog On Col has been on the steady improve since his late spring arrival from Oak Grove, with Saturday’s wire-to-wire victory, by a half length over two-holer Mrstery Deal, the highest level at which he has won locally.
 
Simon Allard won three times at Pocono on Saturday to take the day’s honors. The track’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, combined with the track’s leading trainer, Ron Burke, for one of two in Buter’s brace, while both of Brett Beckwith’s winners came for the only trainer to double up Saturday, Hunter Oakes.
 
Next racing at Pocono is Monday at 1 p.m. The $27,500 featured handicap trot has lured 2025 Hambletonian winner Nordic Catcher S, also winner of the recent Sebastian K S Trot here; he’ll have to overcome the outside post six. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. CHESTER PA – The Huntsville mare Jensville A, perfectly driven by George Napolitano Jr., captured the $16,000 fast-class mares handicap pace Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:47.4, knocking a tick off of the track record for older pacing mares, which was set by Shartin N in her Horse of the Year campaign in 2019.
 
Another Horse of the Year, Twin B Joe Fresh (2024), was the other main equine character in the record mile. Jensville A had post six and Twin B Joe Fresh the outside post seven; Napolitano got Jensville A away in sharp order to make the top near the eighth, then carried Twin B Joe Fresh well past a :25.4 opening quarter before yielding the lead. The triple millionaire pacesetter rolled right along with middle fractions of :53.2 and 1:20.3, with Jensville A the only horse within shouting distance.
 
As the top pair turned into the lane, Napolitano took Jensville A to the outside, and the help of sitting in the golden chair, plus the energy Twin B Joe Fresh had used already, brought about Jensville A going by for a three quarter length decision at the wire. The time was two fifths off the divisional world record, set by Sylvia Hanover at Plainridge in 2025.
 
Jensville A, who lowered her mark by 3 3/5 seconds, certainly knows the way to the winners circle, as this gives her eight successes in seventeen seasonal starts, and 20 wins in her 51 lifetime trips behind the gate. Chris Height conditions the new recordholder for owner Michael Casalino Jr.
 
The $13,500 co-feature for distaff pacers climbing the classladder saw the Always B Miki sophomore filly Always B Our Star set the early pace under pressure from a parked foe, then had to go on from midbackstretch contending with the looping Sweet Cindy Lou, but after a long tussle Always B Our Star prevailed over her tough raw foe by a nose in 1:53.3, with three other late chargers making the top five separated by only half a length. But Always B Our Star was the most photogenic for driver Shane Griffith, trainer Ronald Short, and CT Stables LLC.
 
Driver George Napolitano Jr. won three winners on Friday; doubling up were driver Jack Pelling and trainer Scott Di Domenico. Silenced on the program were $50+ winners (although two paid $40+) – there had been eight bombers in the five previous programs, dating back to September 6.
 
The Harrah’s racing week concludes on Sunday at 12:40, with the red-hot Harrington shipper Wehadababyetzaboy starting from the outside post eight in the $16,000 fast-class handicap pace. Philly will follow its usual Thursday/Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40 schedule the following week, then will be dark for live racing from October 1-4 for the track surface’s annual refurbishment. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.