CHESTER, PA – The Explosive Matter gelding Rich And Miserable won his fourth straight on Thursday when he took the $14,400 featured fast-class harness racing trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:53.3 in sub-50 degree temperatures.
Even though he was sitting in the normally-advantageous pocket position, Rich And Miserable was for much of the way far behind pacesetting Pikachu Hanover, who sailed along on an open lead in remarkable fractions of :27, :55.3, and 1:23.1.
The pacesetter could not sustain that energy usage, however, and Rich And Miserable narrowed in from late in the backstretch and drew off through the stretch headwind for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Todd Buter, and owners Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, and William and Carol Fuhs. The winner ran his career tally to 27-for-76, with earnings of $507,636.
RICH AND MISERABLE REPLAY
Co-features for the fast-class trotters were a pair of $11,600 contests. The first had four different leaders in a six-horse field in the last quarter: pacesetter Two AM; then Deltasun A, first-over and by on the turn; and then Rock Of Cashel, who was second-over and took a short lead in midstretch.
The leader that counted the most, though, was the Cash Hall gelding Smalltownthrowdown, who had been in the pocket behind Two AM, was able to angle out behind the two two-wide horses late on the turn, and then closed strongly to catch Rock Of Cashel by a half-length in 1:55.1. Tim Tetrick expertly drove the Mike Terpolilli trainee, owned by Wish Me Luck Stables LLC, who ran his lifetime bankroll to $1,081,459.
In the other cut, the Muscles Yankee mare No Mas Drama has now lowered her lifetime mark both times she has raced this year, in her debut at Pocono in 1:55 and now here to 1:54.1 with a sharp frontstepping victory. Corey Callahan drove the much-improved distaff to victory for trainer Michael Russo and Ginnis Stables LLC, and No Mas Drama ran her lifetime earnings to $252,505 with the triumph.
The top event for developing trotters, worth $12,800, was taken by Moveoutofmyway, who never saw the rail but still had enough stretch rally to overhaul a stubborn President by a half-length in 1:57.4. The son of Muscle Massive has now won two of his last three starts for driver Kasper Foget, trainer Per Engblom, and Engblom Stable LLC.
Harrah’s Philadelphia will be right back in action on Friday, with a 12:25 p.m. post time; Ontario star Doug McNair will be joining the local driving colony for a few weeks with the virus lockdown in his native province. Program pages for the card will be available at https://www.phha.org/harrahspps.html.
For full race results, click here.
From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia