from the PHHA /Harrah’s Philadelphia

Chester, PA — The mare Turn The Paige and driver Jackie Ingrassia missed the world record for a five-eighths-mile trot over a five-eighths-mile track by two-fifths of a second while taking a $12,500 event at Harrah’s Philadelphia Saturday afternoon (June 9) in 1:09.2, but with the energy the winner showed, the record could have been hers with a better trip.

Actually, it’s hard to imagine a worse trip for the Cantab Hall mare, who left from post five, was three-wide for most of the quickly-arriving first turn in the once-around race, and then two-wide raw the duration against pacesetting favorite Hemi Seelster, with fractions of :27.1 and :55.2. But in the stretch it was Turn The Paige and Ingrassia who continued to power to the wire, winning by 2-3/4 lengths over a late-charging Patton, with Hemi Seelster settling for show.

Husband-trainer Frank Ingrassia conditions the winner for his wife-owner-driver, and they saw their mare reach earnings of $202,545 with the sprint triumph.

Top purse event on the day at Harrah’s was a $17,000 conditioned pace, won in impressive fashion by the Shanghai Phil gelding Makasi while lowering his lifetime mark by almost two seconds to 1:50.2. Driver/trainer Pat Lachance worked out a fine second-over trip with the winner of $142,409, sent up three-wide on the far turn, and the winner responded with a thumping last quarter of :27.2 to win by 3-1/4 lengths for Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc.