By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – The Dragon Reborn certainly got a break when he drew the rail for the $14,000 featured pace for classclimbers Sunday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia. He needed only one more break in the race, and after that he maximized his ability to score a 1:51.2 victory.
Pack A Punch shot right out to the lead, with Moving On Over getting away second and The Dragon Reborn third. Then nearing the :26.2 quarter, the “Dragon” got his break as Moving On Over lost his gait, putting the son of Bettor’s Delight in the golden chair as Pack A Punch carved out fractions of :55,2 and 1:23.1, towards the latter station facing an uncovered bid from favorite Ayr Dave GB.
Pack A Punch had been off for two months before this race and could not continue on as Ayr Dave GB started to take over entering the stretch. But Art Stafford Jr. guided The Dragon Reborn to the inside and the pacer exploded with a fine last eighth to go 1¾ lengths clear of the chalk while missing his mark by a tick. Tyler Davis trains the winner for J&T Davis LLC.
Obliterate, a Perfect Sing colt coming off a nigh-impossible two-move trip in his Meadowlands Pace elimination, found the $13,500 sub-class for developing younger pacers more to his liking, although he had to work hard to withstand the closing Half Past Midnight by a half length in 1:49.4. PA Luke put in breakneck fractions of :26, :54.2, and 1:21.2 but couldn’t sustain in the lane; Obliterate started an uncovered bid late in backstretch, made the lead before midstretch, then held off the closer and pocketsitter Good Friday (in the photo for second) to win for driver Patrick Ryder, trainer-father Chris, and owners Robert Mondillo, Craig Henderson, and FAC Racing LLC.
Taranaki had won two straight at the $13,000 purse level for fast-class veteran pacers; however, his drawing the outside post eight against a talented group may have caused the public to let him go at 5-1. But with a sharp turn of early foot the roan son of Huntsville overcame his starting slot, setting fractions of :26.3, :55, and 1:22.2 before crossing the wire first under no imminent danger in 1:50. Johnathan Ahle guided the pacer for trainer Paul Jessop, who is also the co-owner with Laurie Molnar.
George Napolitano Jr. came home first three times, twice for trainer Dean Eckley; other driver-trainer pairings for doubles were Simon Allard with Joseph Columbo, and amateur driver William Clark Jr. guiding two from his own barn. Corey Callahan also had a sulky double.
$211,814 will be on the line when the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series hold their second prelim round for two-year-old trotting fillies as “Trottin’ Thursday” takes on an even bigger meaning at Philly – all fifteen races will be conducted for diamondgaited horses. The first round Sire Stakes winners, Birr Castle and Miss Eliza, drew in separate PaSS divisions, which will be joined by five Stallion Series sections. There will also be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – The Dragon Reborn certainly got a break when he drew the rail for the $14,000 featured pace for classclimbers Sunday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia. He needed only one more break in the race, and after that he maximized his ability to score a 1:51.2 victory.
Pack A Punch shot right out to the lead, with Moving On Over getting away second and The Dragon Reborn third. Then nearing the :26.2 quarter, the “Dragon” got his break as Moving On Over lost his gait, putting the son of Bettor’s Delight in the golden chair as Pack A Punch carved out fractions of :55,2 and 1:23.1, towards the latter station facing an uncovered bid from favorite Ayr Dave GB.
Pack A Punch had been off for two months before this race and could not continue on as Ayr Dave GB started to take over entering the stretch. But Art Stafford Jr. guided The Dragon Reborn to the inside and the pacer exploded with a fine last eighth to go 1¾ lengths clear of the chalk while missing his mark by a tick. Tyler Davis trains the winner for J&T Davis LLC.
Obliterate, a Perfect Sing colt coming off a nigh-impossible two-move trip in his Meadowlands Pace elimination, found the $13,500 sub-class for developing younger pacers more to his liking, although he had to work hard to withstand the closing Half Past Midnight by a half length in 1:49.4. PA Luke put in breakneck fractions of :26, :54.2, and 1:21.2 but couldn’t sustain in the lane; Obliterate started an uncovered bid late in backstretch, made the lead before midstretch, then held off the closer and pocketsitter Good Friday (in the photo for second) to win for driver Patrick Ryder, trainer-father Chris, and owners Robert Mondillo, Craig Henderson, and FAC Racing LLC.
Taranaki had won two straight at the $13,000 purse level for fast-class veteran pacers; however, his drawing the outside post eight against a talented group may have caused the public to let him go at 5-1. But with a sharp turn of early foot the roan son of Huntsville overcame his starting slot, setting fractions of :26.3, :55, and 1:22.2 before crossing the wire first under no imminent danger in 1:50. Johnathan Ahle guided the pacer for trainer Paul Jessop, who is also the co-owner with Laurie Molnar.
George Napolitano Jr. came home first three times, twice for trainer Dean Eckley; other driver-trainer pairings for doubles were Simon Allard with Joseph Columbo, and amateur driver William Clark Jr. guiding two from his own barn. Corey Callahan also had a sulky double.
$211,814 will be on the line when the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series hold their second prelim round for two-year-old trotting fillies as “Trottin’ Thursday” takes on an even bigger meaning at Philly – all fifteen races will be conducted for diamondgaited horses. The first round Sire Stakes winners, Birr Castle and Miss Eliza, drew in separate PaSS divisions, which will be joined by five Stallion Series sections. There will also be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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