Chester, PA – With the “Trottin’ Thursday” program usually featured weekly at Harrah’s Philadelphia knocked out by the dark racing day on Thanksgiving Thursday (Nov. 22), Wednesday (Nov. 21) became the day that featured several fields of quality trotters at the riverside oval. And the guy who was on fire in the featured trots was driver Andrew McCarthy, who took both top-end purses and guided a freshman in an impressive debut.

The driver who was on fire teamed with a son of Yankee Glide named Thisguyisonfire to record his third victory on the card while taking the $18,000 top trot in 1:55.1. McCarthy had the winner well-positioned in the two-wide tier behind the game veteran Crosbys Clam Bake, who moved to the lead in the lane, only to be caught in the latter stages by a half-length after a good stretch battle. Chris Lakata conditioned the streaking winner for owner Richard Mishkin.

The co-featured $17,000 trot was taken in strong fashion by the Kadabra mare Tymal Reign, who was reined by McCarthy to victory in 1:55.2, just a tick off her lifetime best. The favorite was sent right to the top, coming home in :57.2 to easily withstand pocketsitting Exarch by 1¾-lengths for trainer Noel Daley and Harbor Racing Stable LLC.

A pair of Muscle Hill freshman colts purchased for $530,000 at the Harrisburg sale made their debuts and finished 1-2. The $320,000 purchase, Sheer Muscle, was forced out four-wide to the 3-16ths, but driver McCarthy knew what he had under the hood, and the colt went on to the top and won in 1:58. Sheer Glide, his dam, is a full sister to $937,460 winner Flex The Muscle (and Duchess Faye is back in the pedigree a couple of generations), and trainer Lucas Wallin and owner Mario Mazza have a colt to keep an eye on.

Finishing second was the $210,000 purchase Hillofamistery, a son of the $480,360-winning mare Mistery Woman, who raced steadily in his debut and should benefit from the start for Team Takter.