Chester, PA — The trotter Freshette Hanover and the pacer Tango Dancer N were victorious in the $16,000 feature races at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday (Dec. 13), the next-to-last day of the 2019 meeting.

First up was the Andover Hall sophomore trotting filly Freshette Hanover (David Miller), who overcame some recent camera shyness (three straight seconds) with an authoritative 3-3/4 lengths victory, reducing her lifetime mark in a 1:55.2 victory. Miller sent the three-year-old first-over and cleared to the lead before the three-quarters, finishing out strongly for trainer Christopher Freck and owner Susanne Kerwood.

In the pacing feature, Tango Dancer N (Dexter Dunn) was limbed to the quarter, then maintained control of the throttle from there, holding off pocket sitter Windsong Parisian (Andrew McCarthy) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.2, last quarter :27.4. The daughter of A Rocknroll Dance, favored by $4 in the win pool over third-place finisher Betcha Baby, was driven by Dexter Dunn for trainer/owner Kelvin “Red” Harrison.          

In a $14,500 distaff pace, Islay N (George Napolitano Jr.) left for position, was shuffled during some early moves to the lead and had to attack first-over, but the Stonebridge Regal mare was able to wear down favored Lincoln’s Girl N (Dunn) to post a three-quarters of a length decision in 1:51.3, equaling her North American best. George Napolitano Jr. drove the winner of $216,332 for owner/trainer Gilbert Garcia-Owen, who is winning his first Philly seasonal training title this year

The 2019 season at Harrah’s Philadelphia comes to a close this Sunday, with the first of twelve races set to begin at 2:05 p.m.