Chester, PA — Thursday afternoon racing returned to the fall schedule at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Oct. 24, with the feature races a trio of $12,000 contests for horses looking to step up the class ladder.
In the sole division devoted to pacers, Atoughnuttocrack was allowed to get away at 9-1 despite winning his last start in this class, and the Nutcracker Sweet gelding posed for the photographer after a second straight start following a lifetime-best 1:52.3 mile. Corey Callahan got the sophomore to the lead early, then yielded to favorite American Warrior before rallying up the inside in the lane to catch the chalk by a half length for trainer Tom Cancelliere and owner John Cancelliere.
The faster of the two headliners devoted to trotters was the 1:56 mile turned in by the Bar Hopping sophomore trotting filly I See A Star. Ridge Warren moved the consistent miss to the top passing the stands for the first time and the pair were in charge from there, finishing 3-3/4 lengths clear. The winner, with a record of 3-3-3 in her last nine starts, is trained by Kerry Welty for owner Brian Emerson.
In the other section, the 3-year-old Chapter Seven colt Thinker Monkey recorded his second straight victory, taking 1:56.2 to cover the mile. Simon Allard had the winner moving well down the backstretch and went right on to the lead nearing the three-quarters, then withstood a resurgent Jesmach On Target by three parts of a length. Marcus Melander conditions the sophomore for Order By Stable AB and Daniel Plouffe.
Tim Tetrick won four races Thursday; unusually, the remaining 10 races were won by five drivers taking a pair of victories each: Simon Allard, Troy Beyer, Corey Callahan, George Napolitano Jr. and Ridge Warren. Eddie Sager had a training double.
Friday’s (Oct. 25) 12:25 p.m. card is topped by action for fast-class veterans of the top levels: $15,000 and $14,000 trot and a $13,000 handicap pace. A week from Friday, Harrah’s first post will be at 2:30 p.m. on the first of the two days of the Breeders Cup championships. Programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.