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.
Author: from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia
Pressure Cooker, Staying With Emily win Pocono stakes
On an unseasonably warm Tuesday (Oct. 22) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Pressure Cooker and Staying With Emily won divisions of the $80,000 Hardie Hanover, the John Simpson Sr. Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies, while 2-year-old pacing gelding Dandy Ideal equaled the 1:50.3 local standard for his division.
Always A Miki grinds out impressive Plainridge win
Under duress for most of the mile, Always A Miki was tough as nails and won the featured $20,000 starter allowance at Plainridge Park on Tuesday (Oct. 22).
Draws completed for four remaining Breeders Crown finals
Twin B Joe Fresh, the No. 1-ranked horse in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, will leave from post five in Saturday’s (Oct. 26) $400,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace at the Meadowlands and was made the 4-5 morning-line favorite.
Racing at Hawthorne returns
The 2024 Hawthorne harness racing meeting opens this weekend with leg three of its Night of Champions stake series. First post on both Saturday (Oct. 19) and Sunday (Oct. 20) is 7:10 p.m.
Pandy’s Meadowlands selections for Oct. 19
Handicapper Bob Pandolfo offers his selections for the full card at the Meadowlands on Saturday evening (Oct. 19).
Byron bags five at Vernon
Aaron Byron drove five winners, highlighted by PL Princess C’s win in the $8,500 featured Fillies & Mares Open Pace, at Vernon Downs on Friday (Oct. 18).
Country Victory sets Philly record in Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell stakes series, for Pennsylvania-sired youngsters, opened its fall stand at Harrah’s Philadelphia during a Friday night (Oct. 18) card of racing, and in the very first Liberty Bell event of 2024, the International Moni-Kristins Victory freshman trotting filly Country Victory set a divisional track record of 1:53.4 in winning one of that stake’s two $30,000 divisions.
Slayin Theday Away gutsy Batavia winner
Making his second start at Batavia Downs since competing in the Ontario Sires Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park over the summer, the 3-year-old Slayin Theday Away took on older foes and found the local winner’s circle for the first time after he won the featured $9,500 trot on Friday (Oct. 18).
Beckwiths bag both bills at Plainridge
The father-son team of trainer Mark Beckwith and driver Brett Beckwith won both $25,000 Open Paces on Thursday (Oct. 17) at Plainridge Park.