By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Eight-time Harrah’s leading dashwinning driver George Napolitano gave the Bettor’s Wish sophomore gelding Bright Bet a clever steer in the $12,000 feature pace Sunday at the Philly oval, holding off heavy favorite Knockout Round in a 1:53.4 mile.
Bright Bet grabbed early command, and then Knockout Round, who had competed in Adios, Meadowlands Pace, and North America Cup competition, worked his way to the front in a moderate :28.1 opener. Normally following a heavy favorite in the two-hole is considered a pretty good trip, but Napolitano called on Bright Bet to reclaim the lead shortly into the stretch first time, and got a breather top the half (:58.2) before speeding up to turn back a first-over challenger past a 1:26 three quarters.
The favorite still lurked in the pocket and ducked to the inside for the drive to the wire, but Napolitano was able to coax enough out of Bright Bet to maintain a neck margin to the finish. Chris Ryder conditions the winner for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, Enviro Stables LTD, and Island Sun Stable.
There was a quartet of $11,000 subfeature paces on the solid Sunday card. The fast-class pace also went to driver “George Nap” after a well-controlled pace, as he won with the Betting Line gelding Bettor Not Talk in 1:50.3. A back half of :55.1 got the Scott Di Domenico trainee, the slight even money favorite, to the line ahead of close second choice Joemikiyourosfine by half-length for owner Allen Wenc.
The first of the two co-features for two-year-old pacing colts went to A Little Kick, a Perfect Sting – Sweet Paprika colt who took the top past the quarter and maintained control to the wire to break his maiden in 1:55.2 for driver Mark Herschberger, trainer Nifty Norman, and owners Pinske Stables and Hazy Holdings LLC. The other successful featured freshman was the Captaintreacherous – Musicale Hanover colt Margin Hanover, who took advantage of racing luck (the favorite broke, the pacesetter bore out) to also break his maiden in 1:55.2, coming home in :28 to win for driver Brandon Givens, trainer Jamie Sullivan, and owner Frank Chick.
In the claiming handicap pace for high-priced horses, the Stay Hungry gelding I’m Talkin Hungry brushed to the lead in front of the stands and kept control throughout the rest of the mile, equaling his lifetime mark by winning in 1:52. Johnathan Ahle drove for another successful teaming of trainer Scott Di Domenico and owner Allen Wenc.
Including their success in the features, Mark Herschberger and George Napolitano Jr. had three visits to Victory Lane on the Sunday card.
When racing resumes at Philly on Thursday at 12:25, the track will be graced by one of the sport’s superstars, Miki And Minnie – Dan Patch-awardwinning two-year-old pacing filly last season, and at the top of her class so far this campaign. Miki And Minnie, coming off a career-equaling 1:48.3 victory in the Shady Daisy on Hambletonian Day, races in the single division PA Sire Stakes division, while four horses would be looking to add a second Stallion Series win to their resumes in that group’s three divisions of the fillies’ third preliminary round. There will also be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 pool on Thursday. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – Eight-time Harrah’s leading dashwinning driver George Napolitano gave the Bettor’s Wish sophomore gelding Bright Bet a clever steer in the $12,000 feature pace Sunday at the Philly oval, holding off heavy favorite Knockout Round in a 1:53.4 mile.
Bright Bet grabbed early command, and then Knockout Round, who had competed in Adios, Meadowlands Pace, and North America Cup competition, worked his way to the front in a moderate :28.1 opener. Normally following a heavy favorite in the two-hole is considered a pretty good trip, but Napolitano called on Bright Bet to reclaim the lead shortly into the stretch first time, and got a breather top the half (:58.2) before speeding up to turn back a first-over challenger past a 1:26 three quarters.
The favorite still lurked in the pocket and ducked to the inside for the drive to the wire, but Napolitano was able to coax enough out of Bright Bet to maintain a neck margin to the finish. Chris Ryder conditions the winner for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, Enviro Stables LTD, and Island Sun Stable.
There was a quartet of $11,000 subfeature paces on the solid Sunday card. The fast-class pace also went to driver “George Nap” after a well-controlled pace, as he won with the Betting Line gelding Bettor Not Talk in 1:50.3. A back half of :55.1 got the Scott Di Domenico trainee, the slight even money favorite, to the line ahead of close second choice Joemikiyourosfine by half-length for owner Allen Wenc.
The first of the two co-features for two-year-old pacing colts went to A Little Kick, a Perfect Sting – Sweet Paprika colt who took the top past the quarter and maintained control to the wire to break his maiden in 1:55.2 for driver Mark Herschberger, trainer Nifty Norman, and owners Pinske Stables and Hazy Holdings LLC. The other successful featured freshman was the Captaintreacherous – Musicale Hanover colt Margin Hanover, who took advantage of racing luck (the favorite broke, the pacesetter bore out) to also break his maiden in 1:55.2, coming home in :28 to win for driver Brandon Givens, trainer Jamie Sullivan, and owner Frank Chick.
In the claiming handicap pace for high-priced horses, the Stay Hungry gelding I’m Talkin Hungry brushed to the lead in front of the stands and kept control throughout the rest of the mile, equaling his lifetime mark by winning in 1:52. Johnathan Ahle drove for another successful teaming of trainer Scott Di Domenico and owner Allen Wenc.
Including their success in the features, Mark Herschberger and George Napolitano Jr. had three visits to Victory Lane on the Sunday card.
When racing resumes at Philly on Thursday at 12:25, the track will be graced by one of the sport’s superstars, Miki And Minnie – Dan Patch-awardwinning two-year-old pacing filly last season, and at the top of her class so far this campaign. Miki And Minnie, coming off a career-equaling 1:48.3 victory in the Shady Daisy on Hambletonian Day, races in the single division PA Sire Stakes division, while four horses would be looking to add a second Stallion Series win to their resumes in that group’s three divisions of the fillies’ third preliminary round. There will also be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 pool on Thursday. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
RSS Feed
