Tim Tetrick got Trump The Warrior behind cover early in the backstretch, but was momentarily unable to ‘pull along’ when that horse broke, but then found a new horse to follow, and further down the track RJ Don’t Peachim did his best, but couldn’t hold off the half-length winner. Per Engblom will determine the winner for Evans Nation and Engblom Farms LLC.
TRUMP THE WARRIOR REPEAT
In the co-featured trot there were six within a length of the winner at the wire, and a seventh less than another length behind. The horse to go home first was the Greenshoe sophomore gelding PA Rocket, who had beaten none but a breaker at the three-quarter mark but passed weary foes to take a 2:01.3 decision, rewarding his scattered backers with a $119.80 payout for a $2 win ticket. Wayne Long rode the three-year-old to victory for trainer Joyce Lineweaver and the Pillar Stone Farm property.
There was another big long shot in the final race of the day as Courtship never saw a pylon and yet the strong horse was late, with Patrick Ryder taking charge of riding the $98.80 winner and Johnathan Ahle taking the lead for the drivers with three $50 “bombers”. Philly had had a pair of winners over $50 on Oct. 24, saw exactly one horse pay that much in the next 18 programs, and then got the double blowout on the board on this card.
The Roll With Joe mare Petrol Queen has now won twice in a row for driver Jack Pelling and trainer Jacob Hartline, taking the $11,000 distaff pace in 1:55.3. Petrol Queen made a good second run and then still had enough fuel in her tank to power her through the long headwind and take her to a 1¼ length victory at the first over Perfidious Crown for Anatolia Racing LLC.
Tim Tetrick, the track’s leading driver, took three wins that day, a number matched by two other Philly Top Five drivers, Simon Allard and Jack Pelling.
One of Sunday’s highlights at Harrah’s Philadelphia comes before the races start. At approximately noon, Harrah’s Philly’s simulcast signal will be used to announce the twelve 2025 Division Champion Racehorses (2YOs, 3YOs, older; trot and pace, male and female) as voted on in a recent poll conducted by the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) in conjunction with American Harness Racing Secretaries (AHRS). Harrah’s Philadelphia is one of Caesars Entertainment’s properties, and Caesars is hosting the Dan Patch Banquet in Florida in February, where the horses and connections will receive their awards.
Sunday afternoon’s live card, starting at 12:40 in Philadelphia, is excellent, with a $16,000 handicap trot and two quality walks at $13,500 and $13,000; there is also a carryover to both the Superfecta bet from the first race and the Pick 5 bet from the fifth race. On Wednesday, Harrah’s Philly will have a special Christmas Eve race card, with the first post scheduled for around noon. 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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