A pair of $13,000 handicap paces for the top claimers at Harrah’s Philadelphia topped the Sunday afternoon (Oct. 9) card at the southeast Pennsylvania oval.
In the first feature, Gonnahaveonemore pushed My Wish Came True well past a :26.4 opener before surrendering the lead to the outside challenger, who put up a :55.4 half and then disposed of the first-over horse at the 1:23 three-quarters. All this time, Gonnahaveonemore and driver Ridge Warren were sitting in the garden seat, and in the stretch they were able to outdash the game pacesetter home by a half length in 1:52. Gilbert Garcia-Owen trains the altered son of Mach Three for Gilbert Garcia-Herrera and Barbara Arnstine.
The other division saw the red-hot Rickybobbynthehaus motor to his fourth win in his last six outings, setting fractions of :26.2, :55.1, and 1:22.4 for driver Marcus Miller, then drawing off by 2-1/2 lengths over pocket-sitting Tuxedo Bay in 1:52. He won Sunday for trainer Marc Mosher and owner Jerry Zollo; the bad news for that pair is that he was claimed, but the good news is that in seven days they gained $1,000 in purchase price plus this $6500 win purse, minus expenses.
A youngster who caught the eye during the card was the Sweet Lou freshman colt Loubet, who came home flying in his debut last week and did even better on Sunday. The baby was parked well past a :28.1 quarter to take over the top, but once he did he posted numbers of :55.4 and 1:23.2, then turned a two-length advantage at headstretch into an 11-1/4-length devastation of the opposition at the end of a 1:52.1 mile. A dark horse for the late season stakes, Loubet is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Michelle Yanek, and Phil Collura, and was driven by Simon Allard.
Allard continued his red-hot form streak at Philly, bringing six horses back to the winners circle. For the three-day racing week, he had 13 victories, which has solidified his spot in second in the season-long sulky win totals behind runaway leader Tim Tetrick.
Harrah’s Philadelphia is now conducting live pari-mutuel racing on Thursdays and Fridays at 12:25 p.m. (EDT) and Sundays at 12:40 p.m. (EDT). This week, some spice is added by the Tuesday morning qualifying races, which will see several stakes horses coming off short layoffs in preparation for several rich racing opportunities still left to them before the end of the 2022 season.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)