Oceania grinds to Friday feature victory at Philadelphia

Chester, PA –– The Rock N Roll Heaven mare Oceania overcome the worst win-producing post at Harrah’s Philadelphia, the trailing post nine (fewer than one win every 20 starts at 4.8 percent), in winning a $14,500 featured distaff pace during a special post-Thanksgiving Friday night (Nov. 23) program at the southeast Pennsylvania oval.

Driver Scott Zeron, a three-time winner on the card, got the winner away alertly in third behind the two favorites, pace-setting JK Jazzitup and pocket-sitting Bronze Over N, with early fractions of :27.4 and :57.2. When moved outside off the second turn by Zeron, Oceania grabbed right on the bit and jetted up to challenge, and she was right at JK Jazzitup by the 1:24.4 three-quarters.

Around the turn and into the stretch it was the 9-1 horse on the outside, and not the 2-1 horse against the pegs, who proved stronger. Bronze Over N, the race favorite, shook clear inside the tiring pacesetter, but her late kick was not enough after Oceania had built up a full head of steam that she kept going to the wire.

The winner is trained by Robert Cleary for the partnership of Royal Wire Products Inc. and United Process Control Company.

“The Napolitano brothers swept the Daily Double” is a phrase usually used at Pocono, not Harrah’s Philadelphia. However, with the season at the mountain oval having concluded last Saturday, Anthony Napolitano visited Harrah’s for the first time in 2018 and promptly wound up in the winner’s circle with trotter Gustavo Fring after the evening’s first race, with brother George then taking the second contest with Carson Hill.

Anthony Napolitano had a second placed first victory with E Dee’s Well Said here last season, but this was the first time he had gone under the wire first at Philly since a victory with Tom’s Torpedo on Oct. 18, 2013.

Anthony would have two more victories later on the card, with former pacing fair queen Unbeamlieveable and with trotter Delcrest Holiday, for a total of three wins on his local seasonal debut — but remember this is the driver who has led The Meadowlands two separate times during winter meets.

Tim Tetrick was top driver on the card with four trips to Victory Lane.

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