Chester, PA — Warrawee Yang was extremely sharp upon coming to Harrah’s Philadelphia from Yonkers on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 5), easily chasing down heavy favorite Dire Straits to win the $14,000 fast-class handicap trot in 1:53.1.
Jack Pelling sent the son of Trixton quickly to the top, and after Dire Straits quarter-moved at the :28 opener, Warrawee Yang made him work for the lead heading to the :56.3 half. Most of the field had trouble keeping up behind the pacesetter nearing the 1:25.1 three-quarters, but Warrawee Yang was tight on him, and the stretch contest didn’t prove to be much of one, as the 9-1 Warrawee Yang went by Dire Straits more easily than the one-length final margin might suggest. Ron Burke conditions the winner of $223,896 for the ubiquitous Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
In a $10,000 fast-class sub-feature, the 13-year-old Crazed gelding JL Cruze won in 1:53.2 in line to Ridge Warren, raising his bankroll to $1,956,546 with his 69th career victory. His connections, trainer Eric Ell and owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar Jr. and Steve Iaquinta, purchased him late in his 3-year-old campaign, and they have been with him all the way but for three wins and $22,347 in earnings.
There were three $12,000 co-featured races for up-and-coming horses, two of them on the trot. The faster contest went to Mucho Loco, a Walner gelding who headed for the top and never looked back. He established a lifetime best of 1:54.4 while withstanding pocket-sitting chalk Oliver The Great by 2-1/2 lengths. Simon Allard drove for trainer Mark Akins and A 1 Racing.
The other was taken by the Donato Hanover gelding Brickyard Rally, who rallied to get the lead in mid-stretch and then held off favorite Sir Hiss by a diminishing head in 1:55.3. George Napolitano Jr. drove the winner for trainer-owner Ray Baynes.
On the pace, the Stay Hungry sophomore gelding Sir John B looks to be a fine recent addition for trainer Tim Crissman and owner Niss Allen Inc., as he moved to the early lead then powered home in :27.2 to complete a 1:52.1 tally, 1-3/4 lengths clear of a game JK Parcells. Tony Morgan did the driving.
George Napolitano Jr. won the last race of the day with Rogers Image for the meet’s leading trainer, Dean Eckley. The win in the last event gave him his third win on the day to lead all drivers, and it moved Napolitano, an eight-time Philly seasonal dash leader, into second place at the current meet behind Tim Tetrick. Also second at Pocono, behind Matt Kakaley, Napolitano stands ninth in the North American standings.
Philly will be right back in action on Friday (Sept. 6) with a 12:25 p.m. first post and a $596.37 carryover into the Pick-5. On Sunday (Sept. 8), the track will host the $320,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series Championships for all eight divisions of stakes horses. Free Philly programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.