By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Trainer Joe Columbo, the runaway leader in the training standings at the current Harrington Raceway meeting, shipped a truckload of sharp horses to Harrah’s Philadelphia on a special Derby Day card of racing and won with four of them, all four at least co-owned by his principal patrons George & Tina Dennis Racing, and all four handled by different drivers.
The Dennises are the sole owners of the $398,707 earner Blue Cupertino, who pulled a $49.60 upset in the featured $13,500 trot. Jack Pelling reserved the son of Kadabra off a contested pace over a “good” surface, rallied him three- then two-wide on the far turn, then withstood 45-1 shot Dark Mind in 1:56.2, finishing 1½ lengths ahead of that rival.
A $12,000 co-feature for distaff pacers saw the Always B Miki mare Paige Perfect forced to travel the difficult tuck-then-first-over journey, but she took the lead in early stretch and got the better of Schnapps by a neck while winning in 1:52.4, just a tick off her lifetime mark. Johnathan Ahle had the driving assignment behind the winner, now with four victories in five seasonal starts, for trainer Bruce Saunders and owner Julie Nash.
An $11,500 claiming handicap pace also saw Record Year win his fourth race in his last five trips behind the gate, also via the tuck-then-rally route, in 1:50.4, a new mark in the race before the track was downgraded. The Shadow Play gelding, a winner of $320,685, held off the railshooting Last Bet by 1¾ lengths for owner/trainer Dean Eckley and driver George Napolitano Jr., tops on the day with three sulky successes. Both of the first two finishers were claimed out of the race, Record Year for $22,000 and Last Bet for $20,000.
The racing week ends Sunday at Philly with a 12:40 start. Featured is a $13,000 fast-class pace, with Semi Tough made the 5-2 early favorite in a very competitive grouping. Free programs for Harrah’s Philadelphia racing are or will be available at www.phha,org.
CHESTER PA – Trainer Joe Columbo, the runaway leader in the training standings at the current Harrington Raceway meeting, shipped a truckload of sharp horses to Harrah’s Philadelphia on a special Derby Day card of racing and won with four of them, all four at least co-owned by his principal patrons George & Tina Dennis Racing, and all four handled by different drivers.
The Dennises are the sole owners of the $398,707 earner Blue Cupertino, who pulled a $49.60 upset in the featured $13,500 trot. Jack Pelling reserved the son of Kadabra off a contested pace over a “good” surface, rallied him three- then two-wide on the far turn, then withstood 45-1 shot Dark Mind in 1:56.2, finishing 1½ lengths ahead of that rival.
A $12,000 co-feature for distaff pacers saw the Always B Miki mare Paige Perfect forced to travel the difficult tuck-then-first-over journey, but she took the lead in early stretch and got the better of Schnapps by a neck while winning in 1:52.4, just a tick off her lifetime mark. Johnathan Ahle had the driving assignment behind the winner, now with four victories in five seasonal starts, for trainer Bruce Saunders and owner Julie Nash.
An $11,500 claiming handicap pace also saw Record Year win his fourth race in his last five trips behind the gate, also via the tuck-then-rally route, in 1:50.4, a new mark in the race before the track was downgraded. The Shadow Play gelding, a winner of $320,685, held off the railshooting Last Bet by 1¾ lengths for owner/trainer Dean Eckley and driver George Napolitano Jr., tops on the day with three sulky successes. Both of the first two finishers were claimed out of the race, Record Year for $22,000 and Last Bet for $20,000.
The racing week ends Sunday at Philly with a 12:40 start. Featured is a $13,000 fast-class pace, with Semi Tough made the 5-2 early favorite in a very competitive grouping. Free programs for Harrah’s Philadelphia racing are or will be available at www.phha,org.
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