CHESTER PA – As is often the case at Harrah’s Philadelphia, the front end was the place to be for the winners of the two featured trots during the track’s Thursday afternoon program, raced over a “sloppy” surface rated two seconds off par.
The Donato Hanover colt Big Nudge scratched into the $12,800 top purse event from the “also eligible” list and had the dreaded post eight, but then had his load lightened considerably when there were three more scratches from the programmed starters. David Miller promptly sent him to the top in the short field, and the pair had no trouble controlling the throttle, coming home in :28.4 to post a 1:57.1 victory by 1¾ lengths over Lucy Mae Hanover. Jake Leamon conditions the three-year-old for Charles Elliott, A And B Stable, and Hutt Racing Stable.
Tim Tetrick, who won five Breeders Crown elimination races last weekend, and David Miller, who took four, head back to Hoosier Park for this weekend’s Championship races after having each posted a triple on the Thursday card at Philly.