Chester, PA — Harrah’s Philadelphia opened its 2025 racing season Friday (April 11) with a special evening card, and although the weather was not very cooperative (temperatures in the mid-40s and a rain-soaked racetrack rated sloppy), the featured trotting classes put on a good show.
The big story of the night was eight-time Philly dash-winning driving champion George Napolitano Jr., currently the leader at Pocono, translating his hot form to the southeast Pennsylvania track with six wins on the night, including two of the three feature races. In the headline $13,500 trot, Napolitano never looked back with the You Know You Do gelding Knowyoucando, taking over before the quarter and having firm control in the latter stages before stopping the clock in 1:56.2. Jeff Cullipher trains the winner, now a winner in half his four seasonal starts, for Pollack Racing LLC.
The 4-year-old Bold Eagle gelding Modigliani S got an early spot in the $12,000 co-featured trot, then made a break, but he recovered quickly and settled fifth. Andrew McCarthy, who won three races on the card, then angled Modigliani S out behind the live cover of Give Me A Yankee down the backstretch, followed that one as he went to the lead, then caught him by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.1 for trainer Nifty Norman and owner Lella Montgomery.
All Wrapped Up mastered the $11,000 fast-class field upon returning with Harrah’s Philadelphia, making two speed moves and handily defeating opponents with over $3 million in lifetime earnings in a 1:56.1 mile in line to Napolitano. Joe Bongiorno conditions the Archangel gelding for Jennifer Bongiorno Stable LLC and Howard Taylor.
Harrah’s Philadelphia concludes its short opening week on Sunday (April 13) with a 12:40 p.m. start; a $13,500 handicap pace for developing horses, carded as the sixth race, will be the feature. Harrah’s Philadelphia will race through June on a schedule of Thursday and Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m., with the exception of being dark on Easter Sunday (April 20) and adding a Saturday card at noon on Kentucky Derby Day (May 3). Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.