By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Trotters working their way up the classification ladder were the featured performers at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, with two divisions going for $14,500 purses, as the southeast Pennsylvania track returned to live racing after a break over Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday.
In one headliner, Im An Andover, a son of Andover Hall, was kept well off hot fractions (:27.1, :56) on the cold day, then moved uncovered for Tim Tetrick to approach favored pacesetter Green Pastures by a 1:25.2 three-quarters. Im An Andover had a full tank of gas left when he challenged, took the lead turning for home, and went off to a three length victory over Chef Rocco in 1:55.2, a new mark, and is undefeated in two starts under the care of Scott Di Domenico for owners Marie Dupont and Roy Dobbins.
In the other top trot, Purple Lord utilized the rail to force some tucks before yielding to the sophomore filly Sapphirerainstar to the :27.4 quarter, and then was moved by Corey Callahan to command past the stands and getting a breather to a :58 half. The Tactical Landing gelding then showed steady speed through and past a 1:26.2 three-quarters and withstood all contenders, winning by three quarters of a length over the pocketsitter in 1:55.3 for trainer John Butenschoen and the partnership of Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., Berg Brothers Stable, and Rich Preziotti.
There were two $12,500 paces for the fast-class set. In the quicker, Virgo continued to show sharp form since entering the care of Darren Taneyhill --Sunday the Always A Virgin gelding went right to the lead, rattled off splits of :27.3, :56.1, and 1:23.3 under the handling of Simon Allard, and couldn’t be caught in a 1:51.3 mile, finishing a length and a half ahead of pocketsitting Wichita Lineman. Ownership of the classrising winner of three straight is shared by Mark Jakubik and Jason Darling.
The other sidewheeling headliner also saw the winner lead at every pole, as the American Ideal three-year-old gelding Seen Here put up fractions of :27.2, :56.1, and 1:24 before resisting a stubborn first-over challenge from Boardwalk Bet to win by a half length in 1:52.1. Tim Tetrick was the pilot behind the Jeff Cullipher trainee for Pollack Racing LLC.
Tetrick was the driving force on the Sunday card, visiting Victory Lane six times; fellow Hall Of Famer David Miller got home first four times, and each has fourteen wins on the last four Philly programs during which they competed. Miller also sent his seasonal earnings over the $10 million figure for the eighteenth time in his career.
Harrah’s Philly will be racing Thursday and Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40 for the next two weeks, through the 15th. The following week, through the 22nd, will feature racing on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. Then the calendar for 2024 will play out in this configuration: Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, at noon; Friday the 27th at 12:25; Sunday the 29th at 12:40, and Tuesday the 31st, New Year’s Eve, with a 4 p.m. post time. Free Philly program pages will be available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – Trotters working their way up the classification ladder were the featured performers at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, with two divisions going for $14,500 purses, as the southeast Pennsylvania track returned to live racing after a break over Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday.
In one headliner, Im An Andover, a son of Andover Hall, was kept well off hot fractions (:27.1, :56) on the cold day, then moved uncovered for Tim Tetrick to approach favored pacesetter Green Pastures by a 1:25.2 three-quarters. Im An Andover had a full tank of gas left when he challenged, took the lead turning for home, and went off to a three length victory over Chef Rocco in 1:55.2, a new mark, and is undefeated in two starts under the care of Scott Di Domenico for owners Marie Dupont and Roy Dobbins.
In the other top trot, Purple Lord utilized the rail to force some tucks before yielding to the sophomore filly Sapphirerainstar to the :27.4 quarter, and then was moved by Corey Callahan to command past the stands and getting a breather to a :58 half. The Tactical Landing gelding then showed steady speed through and past a 1:26.2 three-quarters and withstood all contenders, winning by three quarters of a length over the pocketsitter in 1:55.3 for trainer John Butenschoen and the partnership of Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., Berg Brothers Stable, and Rich Preziotti.
There were two $12,500 paces for the fast-class set. In the quicker, Virgo continued to show sharp form since entering the care of Darren Taneyhill --Sunday the Always A Virgin gelding went right to the lead, rattled off splits of :27.3, :56.1, and 1:23.3 under the handling of Simon Allard, and couldn’t be caught in a 1:51.3 mile, finishing a length and a half ahead of pocketsitting Wichita Lineman. Ownership of the classrising winner of three straight is shared by Mark Jakubik and Jason Darling.
The other sidewheeling headliner also saw the winner lead at every pole, as the American Ideal three-year-old gelding Seen Here put up fractions of :27.2, :56.1, and 1:24 before resisting a stubborn first-over challenge from Boardwalk Bet to win by a half length in 1:52.1. Tim Tetrick was the pilot behind the Jeff Cullipher trainee for Pollack Racing LLC.
Tetrick was the driving force on the Sunday card, visiting Victory Lane six times; fellow Hall Of Famer David Miller got home first four times, and each has fourteen wins on the last four Philly programs during which they competed. Miller also sent his seasonal earnings over the $10 million figure for the eighteenth time in his career.
Harrah’s Philly will be racing Thursday and Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40 for the next two weeks, through the 15th. The following week, through the 22nd, will feature racing on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. Then the calendar for 2024 will play out in this configuration: Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, at noon; Friday the 27th at 12:25; Sunday the 29th at 12:40, and Tuesday the 31st, New Year’s Eve, with a 4 p.m. post time. Free Philly program pages will be available at www.phha.org.
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