Trotters dominated a rainy, cold afternoon on Thursday (April 28) at Harrah's Philadelphia. The featured event was a non-winners of $21,000 in their last 5 starts, going for a purse of $17,500. The 4/5 favorite was the 5-year-old gelding Opulent Yankee (Andy Miller).
The son of Muscles Yankee has been facing open company at The Meadowlands as of late, and drew post 3 for this affair. He was perfectly placed in the pocket, behind the speed of Crosby's Clam Bake (Brett Miller). They came to the top of the stretch still in that order, but longshot Watkins (Dave Miller) had other plans.
The 9-year-old son gelded son of Striking Sahbra circled up 3 wide to gun down Crosby's Clam Bake to win by a nose in 1:53.4, over the sloppy going. Opulent Yankee settled for third. It was the 3rd win in the last 5 starts for the Jack Franklin trainee, who is owned by Tom Ceraso Jr. He paid $56.40.
There were also two divisions of a non-winners of $15,000 in the last 5 starts on the trot. Division one went to the lightly raced Kelsey's Keepsake (Joe Bongiorno). She was making her second start of the year, after going 4 for 14 in the win column in 2015. The Ron Burke trainee brushed powerfully passed the quarter, and never looked back, scoring a 5 length victory in 1:55.1. She paid $3.20.
In the second division, it was Leonard Buckner's Picture This (Andrew McCarthy) scoring the victory. This 6-year-old gelded son of Classic Photo brushed to the point after the quarter, and was able to hold off the pocket-sitting longshot Deacon's Valley (Corey Callahan) to win by a head in 1:56.4. It was the Charlie Norris trainee's 2nd straight triumph, and the 15th of his career. He paid $4.40 to win.
by Mike Bozich, for Harrah's Philadelphia