Chester, PA — On a day with a strong stretch headwind (the average last quarter was over a second slower than the average third quarter), millionaire Ari Ferrari J both started and finished strongly to win Thursday’s (June 18) $16,000 fast-class handicap trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:52.
Tyler Buter, the leading driver at Pocono taking a rare sojourn south, was three-wide to the eighth and out until a :26.3 quarter with the son of Walner, as he wanted the favorite to control the scenario. Ari Ferrari J clicked off the middle splits of :56 and 1:23.3, then came home in :28.2 to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Benjamin Hanover for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Kenneth Jacobs.
In the $11,500 second-level feature for the fast-class trotters, Mrmayor Hanover was sent to the lead by Patrick Ryder, got a slow second quarter, then held off favored Go For Broke by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.2. The Explosive Matter gelding is trained by Chuck Crissman Jr. for Sartin Racing LLC.
The $14,000 feature for developing trotters proved the stylistic anomaly of the day, as the Captain Corey colt Captain Jordan found himself dead last in the field of seven, 9-1/4 lengths behind, with a quarter mile to go. But Tim Tetrick eased him clear then sent him widest, and he literally trotted a :28 hole into the wind to win by a half length over For July while taking a new mark of 1:54.1. Trainer Scott DiDomenico’s Triple D Stables Inc. co-owns the winner of half his lifetime starts (7-for-14) with Joe Faraldo.
The $13,500 co-feature for the up-and-coming class saw the Manofmanymissions gelding Geronimo Trio IT utilize pocket tactics to win in 1:56 for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Per Engblom, and Tar Heel Racing.
Two-year-old trotters inaugurated the local freshman pari-mutuel season on the card. The Met’s Hall gelding Uncle Rob (dam Jesse’s Con) got a slow half then proved uncatchable in 2:00.3, a maiden mark, for the wife-and-husband team of trainer Julie and driver Andy Miller, whose Andy Miller Stable Inc. owns the promising youngster. The filly winner went faster, as the Captain Corey-Armatrading miss Cuckoos Nest flew over her field in 1:58.3 in her first betting contest for driver Tetrick, trainer Anette Lorentzon, and owners Bedell Conboy and Polly Hilliard.
Andrew McCarthy scored five victories on the Thursday card, including two for trainer Per Engblom, who joined Eric Ell as a conditioning double winner. Tetrick, Philly’s leading driver, checked home first four times, while Andy Miller reached the wire first twice.
Friday’s (June 19) Philly card will feature a trot for developing horses, a fast-class mares pace, and the first betting appearance of both sexes of 2-year-old pacers; there will also be a $1,663.63 superfecta carryover in the first race. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.