Chester, PA — Dire Straits was the sultan of speed in the $12,000 fast-class trotting feature on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 29) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, making a strong mid-race move to command and then powering off to a 5-1/4-length victory in 1:52.
Driver Ridge Warren settled the son of Muscle Hill in third before the :27 initial fraction, then moved him out in front of the stands and made the lead before the :55.4 half. Several foes looked to still have a shot at the 1:24.1 three-quarters, but Dire Straits blitzed home in :27.4 for the easy win over a pair of horses who combined have won over $4.3 million in their careers, Crystal Fashion (second) and JL Cruze (third). Marcus Melander conditions Dire Straits for owners Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone and Gary Cocco.
There were also a trio of $12,000 contests for developing youngsters. The pacing contest saw a spectacular display from Crush Kill Destroy, as the sophomore Betterthancheddar colt lived up to his name in taking a 1:50.1 mark. Warren drove the sophomore, who had been second to the heralded Nijinsky in an Ontario stakes in his last start, who went down the road with splits of :27.2, :55.1 and 1:21.3 in winning by 5-1/4 lengths for trainer Per Engblom, whose Engblom Stable LLC shares ownership with Evans Nation.
Warren also won the quicker of the two co-features on the trot, using craftiness instead of raw power in driving the 3-year-old Bar Hopping filly I See A Star to a neck margin over Caviart Irish Luck while lowering her record to 1:55. Warren kept the filly in third, followed his main opponent outside after the outer tier stalled, then swung wide and lifted to victory for trainer Kerry Welty and owner Brian Emerson.
The other trotting division saw Jackie Ingrassia put the Greenshoe sophomore filly Green Zone into a grinding position outside of favorite Brickyard Rally, went by when that one made a break into the stretch and bothered second choice Poisonpoke, then went on to a 1-1/4-length success over Jesmach On Target,. Ingrassia’s husband, Frank, conditions the winner, who lowered her record three seconds to 1:55.3, and she co-owns the trotter with Arden Homestead Stable.
In all, Warren paraded back four winners, as did George Napolitano Jr.
Elsewhere on the card, Scott Stranahan sent out his first-ever winning trainee at age 59, doing so with Racing Money.
A $13,500 pacing feature for up-and-coming females tops Friday’s (Aug. 30) 12:25 p.m. card at Philly. There will also be a $665.98 carryover into the Pick-5, which begins in race five. Free Philly programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.