By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – The Muscle Hill gelding Little Expensive, despite winning four of his previous five starts, was left to go off as the 5-1 longest shot on the board in the five-horse $15,000 fast-class handicap trot Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and he upended the form players by catching the favored Chapercraz to win by 1¾ lengths while equaling his mark of 1:51.4.
The race had a rare “reverse lineup” of post positions from the outside down, with Chapercraz taking the immediate lead and rolling right along through fractions of :27.3, :56.1, and 1:23.4. Driver Tyler Miller eased his charge out from the pocket midway on the far turn, and in the stretch he was stronger than the pacesetting chalk, lifting his bankroll to $267,416 for trainer Julie Miller (who sent out three winners) and the ownership of Andy Miller Stable Inc., Jean Goehlen, and VIP Internet Stable LLC.
The Archangel gelding All Wrapped Up got an early tuck third, rushed to the lead just before the half, then lived up to his name for almost the last three-eighths of a mile as he left the $13,000 fast-class subfeature group far behind while lowering his lifetime record to 1:53.1. Todd McCarthy (who led all horsepeople on the day with four visits to the winners circle) guided the winner of $528,128 to the facile score for trainer Joe Bongiorno and owners Jennifer Bongiorno Stable LLC and Howard Taylor.
Yall Keep Dreaming, the Maryland champion two-year-old while undefeated (like his sire Yallbeneath Me and grandsire Googoo Gaagaa), made breaks in two of his first three 2025 starts, so trainer-owner Richard Hans (“patriarch” of this success story) put hopples back on the colt. He won nicely in his first start after returning to the pants, then was even better on Thursday, coming out of third on the turn and outtrotting Breeders Crown elimination winner and two-holer Daiquiri Hanover, the heavy favorite, by a half length in a lifetime best 1:53.1. Driver Jonathan Ahle was in his regular spot behind the winner of this $13,500 trot, a ten-time success story in twelve lifetime starts and a horse to watch.
Two-year-olds made their 2025 betting bows at Philly, with trotters leading off. The first of two races, for males, was won by Churchill, a Father Patrick – With Me Always colt who was quickly ahead for driver Todd McCarthy and hustled right down the road while winning in 1:59.3 - :58.2 for owner Bernard O’Brien. Churchill’s trainer, Jill Roland, has been one of eastern Pennsylvania’s hottest conditioners: since May 20, her stable has put up figures of 19-6-5-4, 32%, .532. (It is interesting to note that another Churchill, Winston, introduced the concept of pari-mutuel wagering to Great Britain.)
Churchill would have seen his pari-mutuel system explode in the second baby race, as the International Moni – Holtby Hanover filly Holdmymoni Hanover won a mixed-sex race in 2:00.3 and paid $91.20 to win for driver Steve Smith, trainer Clifton Green, and JML Racing LLC. The 7-6 exacta with a 38-1 shot in the place slot returned $1906.80; the 7-6-8 Trifecta with a 50-1 shot third wasn’t even covered and paid 7-6-ALL to the tune of $3562.40 (no carryovers on Trifectas in Pennsylvania); and the 7-6-8-3 Superfecta with the 2-1 second choice fourth also was uncovered and produced a $3184.17 carryover for the next race.
The remaining cards this week at Harrah’s Philly will take place on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40; Wednesday racing with a 12:25 start will be added for the five Wednesdays in July. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org
CHESTER PA – The Muscle Hill gelding Little Expensive, despite winning four of his previous five starts, was left to go off as the 5-1 longest shot on the board in the five-horse $15,000 fast-class handicap trot Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and he upended the form players by catching the favored Chapercraz to win by 1¾ lengths while equaling his mark of 1:51.4.
The race had a rare “reverse lineup” of post positions from the outside down, with Chapercraz taking the immediate lead and rolling right along through fractions of :27.3, :56.1, and 1:23.4. Driver Tyler Miller eased his charge out from the pocket midway on the far turn, and in the stretch he was stronger than the pacesetting chalk, lifting his bankroll to $267,416 for trainer Julie Miller (who sent out three winners) and the ownership of Andy Miller Stable Inc., Jean Goehlen, and VIP Internet Stable LLC.
The Archangel gelding All Wrapped Up got an early tuck third, rushed to the lead just before the half, then lived up to his name for almost the last three-eighths of a mile as he left the $13,000 fast-class subfeature group far behind while lowering his lifetime record to 1:53.1. Todd McCarthy (who led all horsepeople on the day with four visits to the winners circle) guided the winner of $528,128 to the facile score for trainer Joe Bongiorno and owners Jennifer Bongiorno Stable LLC and Howard Taylor.
Yall Keep Dreaming, the Maryland champion two-year-old while undefeated (like his sire Yallbeneath Me and grandsire Googoo Gaagaa), made breaks in two of his first three 2025 starts, so trainer-owner Richard Hans (“patriarch” of this success story) put hopples back on the colt. He won nicely in his first start after returning to the pants, then was even better on Thursday, coming out of third on the turn and outtrotting Breeders Crown elimination winner and two-holer Daiquiri Hanover, the heavy favorite, by a half length in a lifetime best 1:53.1. Driver Jonathan Ahle was in his regular spot behind the winner of this $13,500 trot, a ten-time success story in twelve lifetime starts and a horse to watch.
Two-year-olds made their 2025 betting bows at Philly, with trotters leading off. The first of two races, for males, was won by Churchill, a Father Patrick – With Me Always colt who was quickly ahead for driver Todd McCarthy and hustled right down the road while winning in 1:59.3 - :58.2 for owner Bernard O’Brien. Churchill’s trainer, Jill Roland, has been one of eastern Pennsylvania’s hottest conditioners: since May 20, her stable has put up figures of 19-6-5-4, 32%, .532. (It is interesting to note that another Churchill, Winston, introduced the concept of pari-mutuel wagering to Great Britain.)
Churchill would have seen his pari-mutuel system explode in the second baby race, as the International Moni – Holtby Hanover filly Holdmymoni Hanover won a mixed-sex race in 2:00.3 and paid $91.20 to win for driver Steve Smith, trainer Clifton Green, and JML Racing LLC. The 7-6 exacta with a 38-1 shot in the place slot returned $1906.80; the 7-6-8 Trifecta with a 50-1 shot third wasn’t even covered and paid 7-6-ALL to the tune of $3562.40 (no carryovers on Trifectas in Pennsylvania); and the 7-6-8-3 Superfecta with the 2-1 second choice fourth also was uncovered and produced a $3184.17 carryover for the next race.
The remaining cards this week at Harrah’s Philly will take place on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40; Wednesday racing with a 12:25 start will be added for the five Wednesdays in July. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org
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