Chester, PA — Ari Ferrari J again showed plenty of horsepower Thursday afternoon (June 25) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with the winner of $1,289,737 capturing his second straight $16,000 fast-class trotting feature after again overcoming the outside post assignment.
The son of Walner, driven by Tyler Buter for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Kenneth Jacobs, was briefly three-wide at two different points on the first turn before establishing command past a :27.2 quarter and sailed right along through middle splits of :56.1 and 1:24.1. Benjamin Hanover and driver Tim Tetrick, who had forced a tuck from Dribbling Bi early before yielding to the winner, came outside for the drive but could get no closer than a length of Ari Ferrari J’s 1:52.2 winning mile. Dribbling Bi charged up the inside to narrowly miss the runner-up spot.
Howlingathemoon DK has now won two of his last three starts and three of his last six after leading at every pole in the $13,000 fast-class co-feature. Simon Allard set sail with the Cantab Hall gelding, put down fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.1, and then warded off first-over favorite Shoresy by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53 for trainer-driver Pat Lachance.
David Seaman S, named after one of England’s greatest goalkeepers and a two-time World Cup participant, won the $13,500 top trot race for developing horses.
The sophomore Six Pack gelding also found the front end as the path to victory, making the top in :28 and then backing off the half to :58.1 before a 1:26.1 three-quarters preceded a :27.3 last quarter to complete the 1:53.4 mile a head ahead of a charging Jim Beam. Driver/trainer Åke Svanstedt’s Åke Svanstedt Inc. shares ownership with Stall Arsenal AB.
Tetrick visited the winner’s circle five times on the day, including with Spy Booth, who paid $53.80. Troy Beyer, Buter, Andy McCarthy and Svanstedt all posted driving doubles. Svanstedt also drove both of the winners out of his barn; other conditioning doublers were Tony Alagna and Joe Columbo.
Twin B Joe Fresh, 2024 Horse of the Year, will visit Harrah’s Philly on Friday afternoon (June 26), starting from the outside post in a $16,000 field of six as she seems to regain her championship form. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.