By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Six foes couldn’t defeat Mr Bluebird in the $14,000 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, but his own decorum did – on a line on the turns, he went inside three consecutive pylons late on the final bend while well ahead, and although clear under the wire in 1:53.4, the violation, under Pennsylvania rules, caused him to be moved from first to seventh/last, elevating 13-1 shot Mohatu As to the top spot.
Mr Bluebird made the lead despite the outside post seven and put up early fractions of :27.4 and :57. He then sped up to hit the three-quarters in 1:24.3, racing well-clear of his foes almost all the way to the wire. Mohatu As, a son of Lionhunter, was kept third-in by driver Andrew McCarthy, and scooted up the inside to be along for what looked originally second, but turned out to be the winning spot for trainer Anette Lorentzon and owner ACL Stuteri AB. Mohatu As was timed in 1:54.1, which equals his lifetime mark.
Excalibur Bi, who had spent a good bit of time on the sidelines and hadn’t won a race in 705 days, rewarded the faith placed in him by Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom and owner John – by utilizing the pole to maximum advantage and winning the $13,500 co-feature in 1:55. The five-year-old son of Muscle Hill blasted away for Andrew McCarthy, chalking up another feature win, to control the pace through fractions of :29, :58.4, and 1:27, then finished out in :28 to win over first-up Modigliani S by 2¾ lengths while looking like he could go more.
Yonkers shipper Black Magic, a son of Full Count, went to the top mid-first turn and held on to the wire against a good group in the $13,000 fast-class handicap trot, clocked in 1:53. David Miller sent the 15-1 shot to the lead well before the :27.3 quarter, backed the half off to :57, then had twin :28s coming home to hold off the cavalry – 19-1 All Wrapped Up, shuffled back and still fifth to midstretch, finished furiously wide to be second, a half-length behind the winner and a neck ahead of Eteria IT, making her U.S. debut and mounting her bid inside. Black Magic is trained by Linda Toscano for owners Richard Gutnick and Thomas Pontone.
The drivers winning the featured races also had the best overall days – Andrew McCarthy had six winners, and David Miller three (at one point they captured eight straight between the two of them). Per Engblom was the only trainer on the day to double – one driven by Andrew and one driven by his brother Todd.
Racing continues at the riverside oval Friday with a 12:25 post for a card that will feature fast distaff pacers, as well as a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 pool; the racing week will then conclude on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – Six foes couldn’t defeat Mr Bluebird in the $14,000 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, but his own decorum did – on a line on the turns, he went inside three consecutive pylons late on the final bend while well ahead, and although clear under the wire in 1:53.4, the violation, under Pennsylvania rules, caused him to be moved from first to seventh/last, elevating 13-1 shot Mohatu As to the top spot.
Mr Bluebird made the lead despite the outside post seven and put up early fractions of :27.4 and :57. He then sped up to hit the three-quarters in 1:24.3, racing well-clear of his foes almost all the way to the wire. Mohatu As, a son of Lionhunter, was kept third-in by driver Andrew McCarthy, and scooted up the inside to be along for what looked originally second, but turned out to be the winning spot for trainer Anette Lorentzon and owner ACL Stuteri AB. Mohatu As was timed in 1:54.1, which equals his lifetime mark.
Excalibur Bi, who had spent a good bit of time on the sidelines and hadn’t won a race in 705 days, rewarded the faith placed in him by Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom and owner John – by utilizing the pole to maximum advantage and winning the $13,500 co-feature in 1:55. The five-year-old son of Muscle Hill blasted away for Andrew McCarthy, chalking up another feature win, to control the pace through fractions of :29, :58.4, and 1:27, then finished out in :28 to win over first-up Modigliani S by 2¾ lengths while looking like he could go more.
Yonkers shipper Black Magic, a son of Full Count, went to the top mid-first turn and held on to the wire against a good group in the $13,000 fast-class handicap trot, clocked in 1:53. David Miller sent the 15-1 shot to the lead well before the :27.3 quarter, backed the half off to :57, then had twin :28s coming home to hold off the cavalry – 19-1 All Wrapped Up, shuffled back and still fifth to midstretch, finished furiously wide to be second, a half-length behind the winner and a neck ahead of Eteria IT, making her U.S. debut and mounting her bid inside. Black Magic is trained by Linda Toscano for owners Richard Gutnick and Thomas Pontone.
The drivers winning the featured races also had the best overall days – Andrew McCarthy had six winners, and David Miller three (at one point they captured eight straight between the two of them). Per Engblom was the only trainer on the day to double – one driven by Andrew and one driven by his brother Todd.
Racing continues at the riverside oval Friday with a 12:25 post for a card that will feature fast distaff pacers, as well as a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 pool; the racing week will then conclude on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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