CHESTER PA – The Yankee Glide gelding Max was very strong on the front end in winning the $18,000 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia Thursday, completing a 1:54 victory by coming home in :27.4 in 38-degree temperatures.
Max headed right to the lead in front of Infiniti As under the command of Yannick Gingras, but it looked as if he might have to surrender the lead after the :27.4 quarter to the brushing Rubber Duck, the classy veteran who was seeking his fourth straight triumph. However, Infiniti As made a break before the finish line the first time, allowing Rubber Duck to take the pocket behind Max as he went on to splits of :57.1 and 1:26.1, towards the latter call coming under pressure from the mare Kenziesky Hanover.
P L Ketchup posted hot fractions in the $17,000 co-featured trot, but he could not hold off the late kick of the Yankee Glide sophomore gelding Yankee Beast, who won his second straight by 2¼ lengths while posting a new lifetime best of 1:55.4. Marcus Miller drove the fast-closing three-year-old for trainer Anette Lorentzon and owner Anna Kristina Lorentzon.
Driver George Napolitano Jr. had three winners on the afternoon, as did trainer Christie Collins. Also, driver Pat Berry scored career victory #3999 when he won with Sortie Hanover; he’s listed on seven horses tonight at The Meadowlands in pursuit of the milestone 4000th win, and if it eludes him there, Berry listed on nine horses here Friday afternoon.