Chester, PA — Up-and-coming horses of both gaits were featured on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 31) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with a pair of $12,500 paces co-featured with two $12,000 trots.
On the pace, both winners lowered their lifetime best by exactly two seconds. The faster was the American Ideal sophomore colt Dealers Turn, who made two speed moves to control the pace and then darted home in :54.4 to stop the timer in 1:51.1. Corey Callahan drove for trainer Tom Fanning and owners Howard Taylor and Falcon Racing LLC.
In the other side-wheeling section, another sophomore son of American Ideal, the gelding American Warrior, made a strong backstretch move to take command nearing the far turn en route to victory in 1:52.4. Simon Allard drove the winner for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and owners Sundance Stable LLC and Kim Chiaramonte Sears.
In the quicker of the two headline trots, the 3-year-old Muscle Mass gelding Alexander raced for the second time for trainer-driver Pat Lachance and put it all together with a lifetime-best 1:56.2 score for owner Thomas Ceraso Jr.
In the other top trot, Jacqueline Ingrassia hustled the Cantab Hall gelding Fore And After away quickly before yielding to sit the pocket behind Koriander Sisu S, who was making his first U.S. start. The Sweden shipper held well but couldn’t resist the inside late move of Fore And After, who put a neck up on the money in 1:58.2 to record his fourth win in his last five starts. The Frank Ingrassia trainee is co-owned by the driver along with Donna Franchetti.
The track’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, added to his lead by bringing home three winners on Thursday.
The Liberty Bell stakes series wraps up its 2024 action at Philly this weekend. Friday’s (Nov. 1) card, which will have a special post time of 2:30 p.m., will feature a stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts; Sunday’s (Nov. 3) 12:40 p.m. program will have sophomore fillies of both gaits battling it out for the big feature money. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.