Real Lucky N (post two) and Stretch The Line (post seven) were sent off as 9-5 second choice and 3-2 favorite respectively. Both won their last two prelims, and while Stretch The Line had a little boy approaching the first turn, Real Lucky N and driver George Napolitano Jr. took advantage. of course geometry, forcing Stretch The Line to take the two holes before a quarter of :27.2.
The Greybeard dropped half back to :57.1 and then continued with the wind at his back to a three-quarter 1:25, with Olive And A Twist clearing third in an attempt to get uncovered and the chalk still firmly in the bag.
But no one reached Real Lucky N as the veteran won by two lengths, with Stretch The Line beating Olive And A Twist in second. The rest of the field, despite winning at least once in the preliminary rounds, could not achieve major factor status. Trainer Bob Belcher conditions Real Lucky N for owner William Hartt.
REAL HAPPY N-REPEAT
A few series consolations were raced for $10,000 purses. Consolation I, which had four prelim winners, saw none of those four in the long battle for the big honor. Instead, Ishotthesheriff GB (2-2-3 in the prelims) defeated Double Up N (also 2-2-3 in his prelim starts) to gain three parts of a length lead in 1:53.1. The victorious modified son of Henry Hill, who managed despite being three wide from five-eighths, was the longest shot on the board and returned $48.20 to win for driver Jack Pelling, trainer William Andrews and owner Howard Taylor.
In series consolation II, Sea Storm lived up to its name early, storming away to force seats in a quarter of :26.4 and then rating half, followed by a back half of :56.4 to win in 1:54.4. The stablemate of the Bettor’s Delight mare in Izzy Estrada’s leading barn, Idiosyncratic, was second to the winner of Estrada Racing LLC, who has two wins and a second since coming south to the hot heat. stable. None of the horses from this consolation won in the preliminary action, but Sea Storm had won her last race – in a distaff claiming handicap pace.
A $16,000 handicap trot for the fast class brought together three horses who attracted the bulk of the betting attention and were certainly in winning form: Little Expensive and My Man Peter had both won three of their last four starts, while Lefties Righties had captured four of his last six. On Sunday it was Little Expensive who added another “W” to his record, taking the lead early and trying to bottom out in the final half. The tactic was successful in the back half of :56.1, when the winning Muscle Hill gelding held off a charging My Man Peter by a neck, while Lefties Righties, a sophomore, did well in the two holes to trail by just three-quarters of a length. Julie Miller is the 11-time season winner for Andy Miller Stable Inc., Jean Goehlen and VIP Internet Stable LLC.
The best prize of the day for overnight pacers was the $13,500 offered to Horses in Development, which was easily won by the Captain Crunch second-year gelding Captain Luffy in 1:54.1. Meet leader Tim Tetrick quickly took command of the three-year-old, second in the Liberty Bell and fourth in the Simpson in his last few starts, and faced no serious opposition late as he stood up for trainer Travis Alexander and Fiddler’s Creek Stables LLC.
Fast class pacers had their moment in the spotlight in an $11,000 event, with the Roll With Joe gelding Ignatius A triumphing in 1:52. Johnathan Ahle got the veteran side-wheeler away in the two holes, then swooped in, took the lead and held off Soho Specter A, who was making his American debut. Ignatius A, now a 53-time career winner at the age of 11, is trained and owned by Noel Daley.
Tim Tetrick and Simon Alard both competed in doubles. In an unusual occurrence, more trainers than drivers had two-baggers – Travis Alexander had both of his success stories driven by Tetrick, while Bob Belcher and Izzy Estrada each had different drivers for their winner’s circle visits.
Harrah’s Philly races next week and beyond on Thursday and Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m.; there will then be some variation as the end-of-year holidays approach. Thursday’s card will feature the best diamond leg moves in many classes in the circuit’s usual “Trottin’ Thursday” presentation. 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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