CHESTER PA – Screed floor (Walter), despite a tough two-move ride in subzero temperatures, came out on top in the $12,000 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon.
MASSETO REPEAT
Driver Corey Callahan took off well with the second-year modified son of Walner, taking third, retreating halfway down the backstretch and grinding the rest of the way without coverage. Foxy Joyce, right on his back, got moving well late but Massetto, now successful in two of his last three runs behind the fence, showed guts to win by half a length in 1:59.2 ahead of trainer-owner Mike Watson, who along with Dylan George were the only conditioners to record a pair of wins.
The $11,000 co-feature fast-class handicap for pacing mares saw five horses across the track at the finish, with the widest, the three-year-old In The Arsenal filly Neil’s Diamond, closing last and beating the competitive group in 1:54.4. Simon Allard followed the covering flow with the winner of four of her last seven, and over a track not known for its successful closers he had the most speed late to beat the favorite Odds On Aces Full, just ahead of her in the two-wide tier, by half a length in a race where the top quintet were less than two lengths apart. Jeffery Smith conditions the sharp sophomore for Joseph Jannuzzelli and Steven and Joseph Williams.
Tim Tetrick and George Napolitano Jr., 1-2 in driving wins here this year and together the sprint champion for 18 of Harrah’s 19 years (Cat Manzi won the first title), each won three races on Thursday, and on Friday “George Nap” had three again, while “Timmy T” came home first five times.
A nice mix of feature races awaits racegoers who come Sunday at 12:40 p.m., including a $16,000 trot in the fast class, developing male pacers competing at $13,500, and $13,000 offered for fast goers. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.pha.org.
For full race results, click here: American trotting results.
From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia
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