CHESTER PA – Despite an absence from racing of 33 days, the Cantab Hall gelding Final Dream showed he was ready for his opposition in the $16,000 trotting feature on the Wednesday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, going by late to post a 1:56.2 victory.
Driver George Napolitano Jr. positioned Final Dream in a lively outside flow, followed cover to the stretch, then tipped wide to catch Miss You Kelly in deep stretch and go on to a one length success for trainer Christie Collins and owner Howard Jacobs.
A $14,000 co-featured pace saw the American Ideal gelding Warrawee Total sit a pocket trip, gain into a :55.2 last half to take a short stretch lead, then photo out a late-kicking Walleywalleyinfree in 1:53.3. George Brennan guided Warrawee Total to his second victory in three starts for trainer Eddie Sager and The Right Move Racing LLC.
The more seasoned performers contested $12,500 events on both gaits. On the trot, Di Oggi forced a fast early pace, then sat in reserve until the stretch when he came up the inside to win in 1:55.3. Trainer Francisco Del Cid also drove the victorious son of Crazed for Whiskey Trail Stables LLC.
On the pace, the favored Panspacificflight gelding Control Tower got away in the two-hole for driver George Brennan, stalked pacesetting Maroma Beach, then outrushed him home to win by a length in 1:51.1. The winner of $368,541 is trained by Nick Surick for Dynasty Racing South.