CHESTER PA – The Bettor’s Delight mare Gold Orchid N had to work until the three-eighths before getting the lead from the outside post eight, but she stayed strong on the lead and posted a 1:53 victory in the $18,000 featured pace on a chilly Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The winner of $226,285, including six figures both last year and this, had a host of leavers inside her but remained fixed on controlling the pace, being limbed well past the :27.2 opener, then making the top and getting a bit of a breather to the 1:24.2 three-quarters. No one could get near the frontstepping mare in the lane as she finished 2¾ lengths ahead of pocketsitting Clarebear for the “New Zealand Trifecta” – herself, trainer Mark Harder, and driver of Dexter Dunn. Bamq LLC saw their sole horse post her third win in her last five starts.
In the trot co-feature, Always A Dream made a pace-controlling move in front of the grandstand and was able to retain the lead to the wire in 1:57.1. An altered son of Swan For All, Always A Dream warded off a strong rally by SVF Cash Deposit to finish a half-length to the good for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Scott Di Domenico, and the partnership of Foulk Stables Inc. and Triple D Stables Inc. Tetrick led the day’s driving ranks with four wins.