CHESTER PA – Bettor’s Up was reserved off the front-end pyrotechnics in the $18,000 distaff feature pace Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, then stormed home sharply to post a 1:50.3 victory.
Ideal Lifestyle A blitzed away at the start, forcing Culinary Delight and Quite A Sight in behind her approaching a hot :26 quarter. Quite A Sight decided she didn’t like the view from third, and she was sent out again, gaining the lead into turn two, but paying the price of a :54.2 half.
Ideal Lifestyle A decided not to sit and pulled out to gain the lead again early in the backstretch, with Culinary Delight N going first-over to challenge and Bettor’s Up reserved third-over past the quick 1:21.3 three-quarters. The Bettor’s Delight mare was still fresh when tipped three-wide heading for home, and she paced away to win by 2¼ lengths over a game Ideal Lifestyle A.
A $17,000 co-feature went to the Rocknroll Hanover mare Rock N Shard N, who went to the top in front of the stands and paced to a comfortable victory in 1:52.2. Rock N Shard N, who was driven by Art Stafford Jr., is now four-for-six on these shores, and she is only a combined two lengths short of being undefeated (two thirds) in the U.S. for trainer Joshua Parker, co-owner with Nanticoke Racing Inc. and Barry Spedden.
FINISHING LINES – As sure as a robin is one of the first signs of spring, so too as dependable a sign of a reborn harness racing season is the first appearance of the two-year-olds, which at Harrah’s will take place this Tuesday morning along with the qualifiers at 10 a.m. Horsemen are alerted to have ALL of their 2019 paperwork for the freshmen on file in the Racing Office.