By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – A pair of $12,000 contests for developing younger horses topped the Friday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
In the pacing headline, restricted to females, Lyons Benz was successful in her second start of 2025, winning in 1:52.3 for trainer Jim King Jr. and owner Threelyonsracing. There was a three-way battle for the early lead, with geometry the deciding factor as Karma (post one) put Beckoning Yankee (post three) and Lyons Benz (post four) in behind her in a :26.4 opener, then went to the half in :55.4 and the three-quarters in 1:24. Four-time defending Philly driving champion Tim Tetrick moved Lyons Benz uncovered before the far turn, and the favorite had the most pace late, with Beckoning Yankee coming up the inside to edge Karma, the second choice, for second.
On the trot, after the track had been rerated from “fast” to “sloppy” due to midcard rain, the Greenshoe sophomore gelding Greenma once again showed his high turn of speed, winning in 1:54.4 for a new mark. Trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer was content to sit third with the winner of three or four local starts as Fave Guy set fractions of :28.3 and :58.2, then increased the tempo to 1:26.3 to the three-quarters just as Greenma started his big bullrush move (his own third quarter in :27.2). Greenma got by the pacesetter midway on the far turn, but then was battling back late, with the margin of victory for the Purple Haze Stables LLC-owned winner a half length.
Tim Tetrick wound up with three wins on the day to double his lead for the season over George Napolitano Jr. from one to two in “The Eternal Philly Battle”; joining “George Nap” in guiding two winners were Corey Callahan and Andy Miller.
The next racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia, beginning at 12:40, is perhaps the best card yet featured at a North American track in 2025 – “Super Sunday,” with Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh back to defend her title in the $100,000 Betsy Ross Pace for mares; two-time defending champion Ruthless Hanover taking on 2024 divisional champion Abuckabett Hanover in the $100,000 Joseph Auger Memorial Pace; and Swedish imports Antognoni S and Aetos Kronos S starting from posts one and two respectively in the $100,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Trot. The top Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old pacing males, including last year’s divisional awardwinner Louprint, will be in action throughout the card in Sire Stakes and Stallion Series racing. And there will be a $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pool for the race containing Louprint joined with the three Invitationals. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – A pair of $12,000 contests for developing younger horses topped the Friday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
In the pacing headline, restricted to females, Lyons Benz was successful in her second start of 2025, winning in 1:52.3 for trainer Jim King Jr. and owner Threelyonsracing. There was a three-way battle for the early lead, with geometry the deciding factor as Karma (post one) put Beckoning Yankee (post three) and Lyons Benz (post four) in behind her in a :26.4 opener, then went to the half in :55.4 and the three-quarters in 1:24. Four-time defending Philly driving champion Tim Tetrick moved Lyons Benz uncovered before the far turn, and the favorite had the most pace late, with Beckoning Yankee coming up the inside to edge Karma, the second choice, for second.
On the trot, after the track had been rerated from “fast” to “sloppy” due to midcard rain, the Greenshoe sophomore gelding Greenma once again showed his high turn of speed, winning in 1:54.4 for a new mark. Trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer was content to sit third with the winner of three or four local starts as Fave Guy set fractions of :28.3 and :58.2, then increased the tempo to 1:26.3 to the three-quarters just as Greenma started his big bullrush move (his own third quarter in :27.2). Greenma got by the pacesetter midway on the far turn, but then was battling back late, with the margin of victory for the Purple Haze Stables LLC-owned winner a half length.
Tim Tetrick wound up with three wins on the day to double his lead for the season over George Napolitano Jr. from one to two in “The Eternal Philly Battle”; joining “George Nap” in guiding two winners were Corey Callahan and Andy Miller.
The next racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia, beginning at 12:40, is perhaps the best card yet featured at a North American track in 2025 – “Super Sunday,” with Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh back to defend her title in the $100,000 Betsy Ross Pace for mares; two-time defending champion Ruthless Hanover taking on 2024 divisional champion Abuckabett Hanover in the $100,000 Joseph Auger Memorial Pace; and Swedish imports Antognoni S and Aetos Kronos S starting from posts one and two respectively in the $100,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Trot. The top Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old pacing males, including last year’s divisional awardwinner Louprint, will be in action throughout the card in Sire Stakes and Stallion Series racing. And there will be a $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pool for the race containing Louprint joined with the three Invitationals. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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