By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – It’s rare to see a trailer in an overnight race at Harrah’s Philadelphia, but the Racing Office had the good favor of nine solid fast-class trotters drop in the box, so it was decided to go with nine while raising the purse to $18,000, and they were eight-wide behind the gate. But it was the trailing horse, Benjamin Hanover, who emerged victorious, winning his fifth straight race in 1:54.2 on a dank day and over a “good” surface.
 
Tim Tetrick, has a great talent for working out second-over journeys, and even as the trailer he kept Benjamin Hanover’s nose tight on the #1 and got away midpack as favored Ari Ferrari J broke challenging for the lead. Little Expensive, second to Benjamin Hanover the last two weeks and the rail horse here, brushed to the top in front of the stands.
 
Resolve To Win started an determined bid uncovered from midbackstretch, giving perfect cover to Benjamin Hanover. The first-over wore down the pacesetter, but Benjamin Hanover and Tetrick were poised to pounce, and they beat Resolve To Win by a length.
 
Benjamin Hanover certainly is among the gamest and hardest-trying of horses – in addition to his current streak for trainer Scott Di Domenico and owner Angela Cornell, the five-year-old Sebastian K S gelding is 11-for-20 for the season and has 30 wins in only 52 trips to the gate lifetime.
 
The top pacing purse was $13,500, for horses really coming into their own right now. The victory was taken by the Betterthancheddar sophomore colt Tito N Cheddar in his second start since coming home from Woodbine, with Corey Callahan in the sulky for trainer Joe Bongiorno and Hutt Racing Stable. Last week Lochlan Hanover won in this class as he got the jump on a late-clearing Tito N Cheddar; this week Callahan took control of the pace and could shrug off Lochlan Hanover’s tough uncovered bid into a :56.1 last half, winning by 1¼ lengths in 1:53.4. Lazarus Star was able to come up the inside and beat out Lochlan Hanover for second.
 
Vanderbilt N, making his Stateside debut after competing against tough foes Down Under, was quite impressive in his Stateside debut, winning in 1:52.1. The Heidi Cushing trainee, owned by driver Ron Cushing in partnership with Kevin Swywk, hustled early to the lead, yielded to Lyons Steel, then saw Leonidas A blast to the top in quarter three by coming his own split in :26.2. After the big expenditure by the new leader, Lyons Steel came back out for more on the turn, and Cushing tipped the Enzed pacer out behind him, swung him wide for the drive, and Vanderbilt N was a going-away winner against solid opposition – you may be hearing more from this one soon.
 
The 15-year-old pacer Iammrbrightside N was retired after competing in an amateur drivers event. Iammrbrightside N compiled a very commendable 29-7-2-7-$44,700 scorecard this season for owner/driver Anthony Verruso and trainer Veronica Spicer, and his lifetime tally reads 364-63-55-54-$727,332.
 
Just another day at the office for the track’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, who posted the only triple of the day; he has twenty-one December victories at Philly in only six appearances. Doubles on the day were rung up by trainer Scott Di Domenico (both winners driven by “Timmy T”) and Mark Ford, and by drivers Corey Callahan, amateur reinsman Geovany Hernandez, and George Napolitano Jr.
 
Harrah’s Philadelphia will concludes its 2025 meet on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, with a special starting time of 4 p.m. The leading drivers and trainers for the meet will be recognized, and the fans will have the bonus of mandatory payouts on the last iteration of the normal “carryover” wagers. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The Muscle Hill sophomore gelding Net Weight, in his first start in six months, was more than ready for the $12,000 trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a sub-freezing Friday afternoon, winning by two lengths in 1:59.3.
 
Johnathan Ahle had Net Weight in the two-hole through most of the mile behind Soft Landing, and when he tipped his three-year-old to the inside for the stretch drive, he proved to have more than enough to win as the heavy favorite. Net Weight, whose only other career victory came in a Kindergarten Consolation last season, is trained by Noel Daley for The Gandolfo Stables, Lenny Zelin, Harbor Racing Stable LLC , and L A Express Stable LLC.
 
They were three across the track at the finish of the $11,000 fast-class pace for distaffs, with the Captaintreacherous mare Bellucci proving most photogenic in 1:54.2. The Scott Di Domenico trainee rode second-over for driver Jack Pelling as pacesetter Maria Allegonda N went head-to-head with first-over favorite Miki In Luv, then fanned wide and was just along by a head over Maria Allegonda N, with Miki In Luv just a nostril behind them. Larry Fischer owns the nine-time seasonal winner.
 
Shezafreaklikeme closed from last to register a $52.80 upset for owner-trainer-driver Stacy Chiodo, giving Stacy the trainer her second $50+ winner of the meet and tying her with Ray Burt as conditioners of dual $50+ bombers at the top of that list at Philly in 2025.
 
Mark Herschberger, George Napolitano Jr., Austin Siegelman, and Jack Pelling all had two driving victories on the program; Pelling’s pair were trained by Scott Di Domenico, who was joined in the conditioning double category by Tony Alagna.
 
Harrah’s Philadelphia has but two cards left in its racing season; the next is Sunday at 12:40, which features a crackerjack $18,000 nine-horse fast class trot and a carryover into the Pick 4 wager on the first quartet of events on the card. The southeast Pennsylvania track then concludes its meet on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, with a special starting time of 4 p.m. and mandatory payouts on the last iteration of its normal “carryover” wagers. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org. 

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Trainer Per Engblom won the top two races at Harrah’s Philadelphia during the afternoon Christmas Eve card, with the barn producing the 1-2 finishers in the $14,000 featured trot when Kewpie Doll passed Top Gun Hanover late in a 1:55.1 mile.
 
Top Gun Hanover made two speed moves to control the tempo, with the Googoo Gaagaa three-year-old filly Kewpie Doll content to stay in third until the pocket horse started to not keep up, and driver Johnathan Ahle pulled on the right line of his charge. Kewpie Doll methodically trotted up to the pacesetter on the far turn and much of the way in the lane, showing she had a bit more left in the tank nearing the wire to take a length decision. The winner, now victorious in three of her last four, is owned by Dreamlover AB and Engblom Stable LLC.
 
Trainer Engblom again teamed with driver Ahle to take the $13,500 co-feature with Kanon Laser DK, who won his North American debut by swinging wide off the far bend to just catch Flight Of Fritz by a neck in 1:57.4. Flight Of Fritz attacked first-over, gained an advantage towards midstretch, but could not hold off the Danish-bred altered son of One Too Many, who is owned by Engblom Stable LLC and Kasper Foget.
 
The Walner three-year-old filly Entertain Me had hit the board in thirteen of twenty 2025 starts without victory before coming up the inside after a two-hole trip and winning the $12,000 third-level event for developing trotters. Kyle Symington drove the sophomore miss to a new race mark of 1:59 for trainer Noel Daley and Harbor Racing Stable LLC.
 
The $11,000 claiming handicap pace for high-priced horses wound up in a 1:53.2 dead-heat between favored The Boss Said (George Napolitano Jr.), giving him four wins in his last six starts, and The Bizzness N (Mark Herschberger), now victorious in two of his last three. The Boss Said set the pace; The Bizzness N stayed in third then moved when the outer tiers stalled, and was just up to tie the chalk. (Track announcer Mike Bozich alertly noted that the race, the second on the card, was one of only a very few instances with three Double payoffs, as there was also a consolation double on a late scratch.)
 
For the second year in a row Harrah’s Philadelphia had the distinction of hosting the very last Christmas Eve race in the entire world, according to the simulcasting network, though this year the card from Valparaiso, Chile (simulcast through Laurel runners) ran until five minutes before Philly’s last post.
 
No fewer than ten horsemen had multiple winners on the card. Drivers with three victories were Johnathan Ahle, two for trainer Per Eriksson as mentioned above; Corey Callahan, for three different barns; and Mark Herschberger, who won races one, two, and fifteen, the latter two for Ron Burke. Driving doubles went to Brandon Givens (both for trainer Mark Akins), George Napolitano Jr., and Kyle Symington (both for trainer Noel Daley).
 
Harrah’s Philadelphia wishes everyone an enjoyable December 25. The track will return with its final three cards of the year: on Friday at 12:25; on Sunday at 12:40, with a dandy of an $18,000 Invitational trot, and then on New Year’s Eve Wednesday at 4 p.m., with all potential “carryover” pools mandatorily distributed in their last iteration on the card. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
​​CHESTER PA – The Sebastian K S gelding Benjamin Hanover is now five years old. He has made only 51 career starts, but he loves to win, as he posted his fourth straight triumph, tenth in nineteen 2025 starts, and 29thof his career with a snappy 1:54.1 victory in the $16,000 fast-class handicap trot at a cool Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.
 
The event was handicapped by earnings in the last four starts; Benjamin Hanover had won his previous three at lower levels, while Little Expensive had two wins and a second at this top level, and thus he had post six to “Benjamin”’s post five. He was also sent off as the 3-5 favorite; Benjamin Hanover was held at 8-5.
 
Tim Tetrick, the track’s top driver, got enough gate jet out of Benjamin Hanover to secure a two-hole trip behind the speedy Little Expensive. That one went soft early fractions of :29 and :58.1, then tried to bottom out the opposition by hitting the three-quarters in 1:25.2. But Benjamin Hanover stayed tight, moved out approaching headstretch, and gradually wore down the chalk by three parts of a length for trainer Scott Di Domenico, second in the local standings, and owner Angela Cornell.
 
Tetrick / Di Domenico also captured the $13,000 fast-class pace with another horse stepping up but still taking his fourth in a row, the Shadow Play gelding Jack’s Shadow N, in 1:52.4.  The native Kiwi was double-jumping and stuck with the outermost post, and perhaps those are the reasons why he was dismissed at 16-1; nonetheless, Tetrick and “Jack” caught the lively cover of It’s In The Stars midway down the back, rode behind that one until into the stretch, then outpaced him to the wire by a neck, his own back half in :55.2. Di Domenico conditions the 51-time career winner for his Triple D Stables Inc., Oompa’s Farm Inc., and Robert Mondillo.
 
“Timmy T” completed a sweep of the features with Lochlan Hanover, taking a $13,500 pace for developing horses in 1:53.3. The sophomore son of Captaintreacherous pulled from third and went up raw in a :27.3 third quarter, was ahead but not inside on the turn, then had to dig in to withstand a big late rush from an unfortunate Tito N Cheddar, taking the decision by a half length for trainer Enrico Robinson and Pollack Racing LLC. Tetrick also won the last race to take the day’s honors by one over Ridge Warren.
 
Harrah’s Philadelphia has a special Christmas Eve card of live racing on Wednesday afternoon starting at 12 noon; it was on Christmas Eve last year that Philly held the last race of the day worldwide and set an alltime track handle mark of $1,587,638. The Pick 5 was unsolved on Sunday and will be carrying over $4470.16 into the Pick 5 wager on Wednesday’s races five through nine; track management has upped the ante and guaranteed a $20,000 pool in the Wednesday Pick 5. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The Swan For All three-year-old gelding Trump The Warrior gained steadily the last three-eighths of a mile to overhaul pacesetter RJ Don’t Peachim and win the quicker of two $12,000 featured trots for developing horses in 1:59 Friday at Harrah’s Philadelphia. There was a strong stretch headwind all day, while both the surface and variant were changed: from “sloppy” to “good,” but counterintuitively from “+1” to “+2.”
 
Tim Tetrick got Trump The Warrior out behind cover early in the backstretch, briefly lost being able to “draft along” when that horse broke but then found a new horse to follow, and down the lane RJ Don’t Peachim tried hard but couldn’t hold off the half length winner. Per Engblom conditions the winner for Evans Nation and Engblom Farms LLC.
 
In the co-featured trot, there were six within a length of the winner at the wire, and a seventh less than another length behind. The horse home first was the Greenshoe sophomore gelding PA Rocket, who had no one save a breaker beaten at the three-quarters, but passed tired foes to take a 2:01.3 decision, rewarding his scattered backers with a $119.80 payoff for a $2 win ticket. Wayne Long rallied the three-year-old to victory for trainer Joyce Lineweaver and the ownership of Pillar Stone Farm.
 
There was another big longshot in the last race of the day, as Courtship never saw a pylon yet still was the strong horse late, with Patrick Ryder handling the driving of the $98.80 winner and tying Johnathan Ahle for the drivers’ meet lead with three $50 “bombers.” Philly had had a pair of $50+ winners on October 24, saw exactly one horse pay that much in the next 18 programs, then had the double tote board explosion on this card.
 
The Roll With Joe mare Petrol Queen has now won two straight for driver Jack Pelling and trainer Jacob Hartline, taking the $11,000 fast-class pace for distaffs in 1:55.3. Petrol Queen got a good second-over trip, then had plenty of petrol  left in her tank to drive her through the stretch headwind and propel her to a 1¼ length win over first-over Perfidious Crown for Anatolia Racing LLC.
 
Tim Tetrick, the track’s leading driver, had three wins on the day, a count matched by two other Philly Top Five drivers, Simon Allard and Jack Pelling.
 
One of the highlights of Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia will take place before the races start. At approximately noon, the Harrah’s Philly simulcast signal will be used to announce 2025’s twelve divisional champion racehorses (2YOs, 3YOs, older; trot and pace, male and female) as voted on in a recent poll of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) in conjunction with American Harness Racing Secretaries (AHRS). Harrah’s Philadelphia is one of the Caesars Entertainment properties, and Caesars is presenter of the Dan Patch Banquet in Florida in February, where the horses and connections will receive their awards.
 
The Sunday afternoon live card, which begins at 12:40 at Philadelphia is excellent, with a $16,000 featured handicap trot and two quality paces going for $13,500 and $13,000; there is also a carryover into both the first race Superfecta and the fifth race Pick 5 wager. On Wednesday Harrah’s Philly will have a special Christmas Eve card of racing, with first post slated for high noon. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Masseto made a well-moved time to the lead early in the backstretch in the $12,000 featured trot Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, then was able to keep the advantage to the wire, finishing a length ahead of Foxy Joyce in a 1:59.3 mile.
 
Masseto sat well-placed just off a contested lead, then came uncovered past the half and was able to go right by the leader. Foxy Joyce came up in the flow behind Masseto, but he had to settle for second. Anthony Napolitano drove the victorious Walner sophomore gelding for trainer-owner Mike Watson, who acquired the horses recently and now has three wins in his last four starts with him.
 
2-5 shot Strutsville had the rail in the $11,000 distaff fast-class pace, but two 30-1 shots overcame their outermost slots and grabbed the first two spots early, forcing Strutsville to have to come first-over, with second-choice Odds On  aces Full on her back. Despite the long battle uncovered, Strutsville made the lead in the stretch, then held off the horse behind her by a head in 1:53.4. The Yonkers invader, a three-year-old daughter of Huntsville, was driven by Ridge Warren for trainer Ron Coyne Jr. and owners Nancy Retzlaff and Douglas Stout.
 
Jack Pelling and Ridge Warren each drove three winners on the Friday program.
 
Philly closes out its racing card with a 12:40 first race post on Sunday, featuring an excellent $16,000 fast-class handicap pace and a carryover into the Pick 5 pool. The track will then race on a Friday-Sunday-Wednesday schedule the last two weeks of the year, with both Fridays at 12:25 and both Sundays at 12:40, but different post times for the cards one day in front of the holidays: Christmas Eve at 12 noon, and New Year’s Eve at 4 p.m. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. CHESTER PA – Near-freezing temperatures and a strong stretch headwind did not make for a good day for speed horses on “Trottin’ Thursday” at Harrah’s Philadelphia, but the two feature winners fronted their fields through most of their respective races.
 
The top purse event was a $13,500 contest for developing trotters, won by the three-year-old altered son of Propulsion, The Brodster, in 1:55.3 as he won his second race in his last three trips behind the gate. Ridge Warren wanted control of the top with the sophomore, and the pair drew more and more clear most of the last half, with Yardbird 5¼ lengths behind at the finish. Per Engblom conditions the winner for Engblom Stable LLC and Evans Nation.
 
The Muscle Mass gelding Cassius Hanover stepped up in company and produced his second straight victory, on Thursday mastering the $13,000 fast-class trotters in 1:55.4. Favored Te Amo Lindy yielded to the winner (who had to overcome the outermost stating slot) at the quarter to sit in the two-hole, but his late charge up the inside fell a neck short as Cassius Hanover dashed home in :29.2, the day’s co-fastest last quarter (:30.2 was the average), in winning for driver Johnathan Ahle and trainer Emily Bost, the latter co-owner with R K 4 Racing.
 
Simon Allard and George Napolitano Jr. had three driving successes on the card. For Napolitano, eighth on the alltime dashwinning list and sixth among active drivers at 12,869 vikctories, this was his fourth straight Philly driving day with three winners. He is second in 2025 locally, and Allard is third, behind the leader Tim Tetrick.
 
To complete its racing week, Philly has cards on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. The last two holiday weeks of the year, Philly will race live on a Friday-Sunday-Wednesday schedule, with Fridays at 12:25 and Sundays at 12:40 as usual, but the special pre-holiday Wednesdays having special post times: Christmas Eve at 12 noon, and New Year’s Eve at 4 p.m. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The Uncle Peter gelding My Man Peter couldn’t quite catch pacesetter Little Expensive in last Sunday’s $16,000 fast-class trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia; this week My Man Peter went first-over with Little Expensive on his back, but still came up with the power to turn in a 1:53.2 victory.
 
George Napolitano Jr. had no hesitation sending the favored My Man Peter up raw from fifth to pressure leader Resolve To Win, who made the lead after a :27.3 quarter and got a slight breather to a :56.4 half. But My Man Peter was relentless in his pursuit, reaching the lead not much after a 1:25.2 three-quarters, then finishing out the mile strongly (own last half :55.3), with Little Expensive second-best this day, 2¼ lengths behind the winner of four of his last six, who is trained by Per Engblom for Morrison Racing Stables.
 
Best purse for pacers offered on the weekending card was $13,500, for up-and-coming younger males. It was won by the Papi Rob Hanover sophomore gelding War No More, who stepped up in class and took a new lifetime mark of 1:53 while making it two in a row. War No More pushed pacesetting Shining Moment most of a :26.4 quarter, then sat the golden journey as favored RJs Red Devil came raw near the :56 half and bedeviled the leader to and past the 1:24.2 three-quarters.
 
This pair tired after their efforts; Anthony Napolitano got War No More out of the pocket into the stretch, and just in time, as Bettor Safe (and Anthony’s brother George) was winging late, but War No More crossed the wire a half length ahead. Deborah Daguet trains the winner for Todd’s Auto.
 
Fast-class pacers staged quite a battle in a $13,000 contest. Favored Belmont Royale N was parked to a :27.1 quarter to get around Mad Max Hanover; I Did It Myway, sitting third, thought about quarter-moving but stayed put. He then advanced to the pocket as Mad Max Hanover pulled from the two-hole and challenged to a :56 half and a 1:24 three-quarters.
 
In the stretch it came down to the pacesetter and pocketsitter, and I Did It Myway, a son of Captaintreacherous, had the most along the inside, catching the favored leader by a neck in 1:52.1. Anthony Napolitano also got the winning steer behind this winner of $1,430,650 (and victorious lifetime in over a third of his starts, 37 for 107) for trainer Travis Alexander and the combine of David Hamm, EVM Racing LLC, and Glenn Phillips.
 
The track’s 1-2 winningest drivers in 2025, Tim Tetrick and George Napolitano Jr, won at least three races on each of the three cards this week; they shared Thursday’s and Sunday’s sulky honors, but Tetrick had five on Friday to take the week’s crown. Trainer Enrico Robinson also had a Sunday triple.
 
Racing resumes at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday at 12:25; the usual fall schedule of Thursday and Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40 will hold this week, and then the live pattern will alter for the holidays in the last two weeks of the 2025 season.  Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Massetto, despite a tough two-move trip in subfreezing temperatures, proved the best in the $12,000 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon.
 
Driver Corey Callahan left well with the sophomore altered son of Walner, tucking in third, then pulled out midway down the backstretch and grinded the rest of the way without cover. Foxy Joyce, right on his back, was moving well late, but Massetto, successful now in two of his last three trips behind the gate, showed grit and won by half a length in 1:59.2 for trainer-owner Mike Watson, who along with Dylan George were the only conditioners to have a pair of victories.
 
The $11,000 co-feature fast-class handicap for pacing mares saw five horses across the track at the finish, with the widest one, the In The Arsenal three-year-old filly Neil’s Diamond, closing from last to defeat the competitive group in 1:54.4. Simon Allard followed the flow of cover with the winner of four of her last seven, and over a track not noted for successful closers had the most speed late to defeat favored Odds On Aces Full, right in front of her in the two-wide tier, by a half length in a race where the top quintet were separated by less than two lengths. Jeffery Smith conditions the sharp sophomore for                                             Joseph Jannuzzelli and Steven and Joseph Williams.
 
Tim Tetrick and George Napolitano Jr., 1-2 in driving wins here this year and between them the dash champion in 18 of Harrah’s 19 years (Cat Manzi won the inaugural title), each won three races on Thursday, and on Friday “George Nap” again had three, while ”Timmy T” got home first five times.
 
A nice mix of feature races awaits racegoers coming for Sunday’s 12:40 card, including a $16,000 fast-class trot, developing male pacers contesting $13,500, and $13,000 offered for fast-class pacers. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The Muscle Hill gelding Te Amo Lindy, close without winning in recent competition at Pocono Downs, certainly brought his “A” game with him down the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Harrah’s Philadelphia Thursday, trotting to a 1:54.2 victory on a chilly day in the $13,500 feature for improving horses.
 
Te Amo Lindy was three-wide early then two-wide to get by The Brodster to a :27.2 quarter (these two were the heavy favorites: Te Amo Lindy 9-10, The Brodster  3-5). After a :57.2 half, the leader went into a higher gear, but The Brodster pulled the pocket before the 1:25.4 three-quarters and got up to even terms with the pacesetter. In the stretch, though, it was Te Amo Lindy who trotted right on, winning by nearly five lengths for trainer Jill Roland, who also owns the speedy diamondgaiter.
 
Meet leader Tim Tetrick arrived midcard for five drives, winning three of them, including with the Sebastian K S gelding Benjamin Hanover in 1:55.1 in the $13,000 fast-class handicap on the “Trottin’ Thursday” program. Tetrick and “Benjamin” were content to sit in the pocket as Super Duper Cooper set the pace, then challenged and got the decision by 1½ lengths for his third straight victory, his ninth win in eighteen seasonal starts, and his 28th triumph in 50 lifetime outings. Scott Di Domenico, who also clicked with Tetrick for an earlier victory and would later add a third victory in the card, conditions the gritty trotter for owner Angela Cornell.
 
The Father Patrick gelding Menotti had had good success hitting the board in his career –he had been 1-2-3 in 31 of 69 starts going into one of two $12,000 trots for “nw 3 races “company. But he had only won once, and to boot upon coming from Pocono he had to elevate from “nw2” to “nw3” company as Philly does not write that class. But Menotti sat in the two-hole behind favorite Tracks Of My Tears, then trotted to the fore for a 1:57.4 tally despite the class hike, winning by 2¼ lengths. George Napolitano Jr., who also won three times on the day, guided the winner for trainer-owner Bruce Schadel.
 
In the other division of the subfeature for oncoming trotters, the Swan In A Million sophomore filly Melissa P was quarter-moved by driver-trainer Vinnie Ginsburg, who then let her trot off down in the backstretch and around the turn. It’s a good thing the winner opened such a huge margin, because Yardbird, away slowly, was making up ground with every stride the last five-sixteenths (own back half in :58.2), but Melissa P, owned by Jaypaul Hanover, had enough to prevail by 1¼ lengths, following up on a lifetime best 1:57 in New Jersey in her last start with a 1:58.2 triumph here.
 
Racing resumes at Harrah’s Philly on Friday at 12:40, with a $12,000 feature trot for developing diagonally-gaited horses complemented by an $11,000 fast-class handicap pace for the distaff set. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.