Net weight wins a chilly Philly feature

CHESTER PA – The Muscle Hill Sophomore gelding Net Weight, in his first start in six months, was more than ready for the $12,000 trotting event at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a frigid Friday afternoon, winning by two lengths in 1:59.3.

NET WEIGHT REPEAT

Johnathan Ahle had net weight behind Soft Landing in the two holes for most of the mile, and when he tapped his three-year-old to the inside for the stretch drive he proved to have more than enough to win as heavy favorite. Net Weight, whose only other career win came last season in a Kindergarten Consolation, is trained by Noel Daley for The Gandolfo Stables, Lenny Zelin, Harbor Racing Stable LLC and LA Express Stable LLC.

They were three across the track at the finish of the fast $11,000 distaff pace, with the Captaintreacherous mare Bellucci proving the most photogenic in 1:54.2. Scott Di Domenico’s trainee crossed second ahead of driver Jack Pelling, while pacer Maria Allegonda N took on first-over favorite Miki In Luv, then fanned out wide and was just a head above Maria Allegonda N, with Miki In Luv just a nostril behind them. Larry Fischer owns the nine-time season winner.

Shezafreaklikeme closed last and registered a $52.80 upset for owner-trainer-driver Stacy Chiodo, giving Stacy the trainer her second $50+ winner of the meet and tying her with Ray Burt as conditioners of double $50+ Bombers topping the bill at Philly in 2025.

Mark Herschberger, George Napolitano Jr., Austin Siegelman and Jack Pelling all had two wins on their record; Pelling’s pair were trained by Scott Di Domenico, who was joined in the conditioning doubles category by Tony Alagna.

Harrah’s Philadelphia has only two tickets left in the racing season; the next is Sunday at 12:40 p.m., with a crackerjack $18,000 nine-horse fast class trot and a transfer to the Pick 4 betting on the first quartet of events on the card. The southeastern Pennsylvania track then concludes its competition on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, with a special 4:00 PM start time and mandatory payouts on the latest iteration of the normal carryover betting. 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