By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – The Trixton gelding Toccoa Falls, held at 21-1 despite a victory in his latest start, found room up the inside and thwarted a giant late burst by heavy favorite Stable Genius to win the $14,000 fast-class handicap on “Trottin’ Thursday” at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Yanks Dugout took the field to the quarter in :27.4, got a breather while hitting the half in :57.4, then sped the tempo up to 1:26 by the three-quarters while no substantial outer flow developed. The pacesetter could not hold on to his advantage, and the two “live” horses in the stretch were driven by the McCarthy brothers – Andrew, who shot up the inside from third-in with Toccoa Falls, and Todd, who had to swing Stable Genius wide from way back. Toccoa Falls took advantage of the short route to post a neck decision over the onrushing chalk while raising his lifetime bankroll to $367,421 for the meet’s leading trainer, Per Engblom, and owner Ben Mondello.
Upsets were largely the order of the day at Philly until the last couple of races, and eight-time Harrah’s dashwinning driving champion George Napolitano Jr. contributed more than his share in a five-winner day. Though “George Nap” usually attracts a good deal of betting attention, in his Thursday quintet he had only one winning favorite, and three of his winners paid $24.40 or more.
Pacers take over the spotlight for the last two days of the Harrah’s Philly racing week, with a $13,000 handicap for distaffs topping the card Friday; there will also be two events for two-year-olds. On Sunday, the $15,000 fast-class feature sports a field of six with a 1:48.3 average lifetime mark in a well-matched grouping. Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – The Trixton gelding Toccoa Falls, held at 21-1 despite a victory in his latest start, found room up the inside and thwarted a giant late burst by heavy favorite Stable Genius to win the $14,000 fast-class handicap on “Trottin’ Thursday” at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Yanks Dugout took the field to the quarter in :27.4, got a breather while hitting the half in :57.4, then sped the tempo up to 1:26 by the three-quarters while no substantial outer flow developed. The pacesetter could not hold on to his advantage, and the two “live” horses in the stretch were driven by the McCarthy brothers – Andrew, who shot up the inside from third-in with Toccoa Falls, and Todd, who had to swing Stable Genius wide from way back. Toccoa Falls took advantage of the short route to post a neck decision over the onrushing chalk while raising his lifetime bankroll to $367,421 for the meet’s leading trainer, Per Engblom, and owner Ben Mondello.
Upsets were largely the order of the day at Philly until the last couple of races, and eight-time Harrah’s dashwinning driving champion George Napolitano Jr. contributed more than his share in a five-winner day. Though “George Nap” usually attracts a good deal of betting attention, in his Thursday quintet he had only one winning favorite, and three of his winners paid $24.40 or more.
Pacers take over the spotlight for the last two days of the Harrah’s Philly racing week, with a $13,000 handicap for distaffs topping the card Friday; there will also be two events for two-year-olds. On Sunday, the $15,000 fast-class feature sports a field of six with a 1:48.3 average lifetime mark in a well-matched grouping. Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org.
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