Chester, PA — Blazing Trail took full advantage of a couple of scratches and a breaking favorite, rallying from second-over to win the $15,300 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon (Dec. 16).

Simon Allard kept the Father Patrick gelding in hand behind a slow pace, then quickly followed the cover of Divine Spirit at the half. The trotter tipped three-wide on the last turn, out-kicked both his cover and front-stepper Bountiful Brittney in mid-stretch, and defeated the pacesetter by three-quarters of a length margin in 1:57.2, covering his own back half in :57. Kenneth Tisa owns and trains the winner of $108,163.

Both winners of the $14.400 co-features recorded their second consecutive victories. Simon Allard also drove the faster winner, Shadrack Hanover, who controlled the pace and won by open lengths in 1:55.3, covering his back half in :57. The lightly-raced, improving son of Muscle Hill is trained by Deborah Daguet for owner Kapildeo Singh.

In the other co-feature, the 3-year-old Bar Hopping gelding Vincenti lowered his mark to 1:56.2, setting the pace and then powering home in :57.2 to withstand the charge of pocket rival Tequila N Roses by a nose. Luke Hanners drove the Frank Tsipouras trainee for owner Alexandra Elaine Ulrich.

A $13,000 fast-class trot saw Baldaquin close from last, speeding his own back half in :56, to just reach the finish line a nose ahead of pacesetting Kenogami Coco in 1:55.1, with pocket foe Wings Of Speed another neck behind. Vinny Ginsburg drove the Explosive Matter gelding, who, at age 5, has won 11 of 24 career starts and earned $109,493 for trainer Louise Pepin, who shares ownership with Steven Bryden.

Tim Tetrick and George Napolitano Jr., who between them have accounted for the last 14 dash driving titles locally and are the top two again this year, each guided three horses to victory Thursday.

Three $14,400 events – two of them for male pacers, and the other for trotters — lead the Friday (Dec. 17) program at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Post time is 12:25 p.m.; program pages are available at the PHHA website.