Favourite Lindy The Great made every pole a winning one in taking the $22,500 fast-class handicap trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a cool Thursday afternoon (Nov. 17).
Andy Miller pointed the millionaire son of Crazed frontward immediately, with the pair setting fractions of :27.3, :57.3 and 1:25.2. Second choice pocket-sitter Storm Is Raging, a winner on Saturday at Pocono, was looming as a likely challenger in the stretch, but he lost stride midway around the far turn and Lindy The Great had it pretty easy from there, holding off closer Robbie Pev by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:54.1 for trainer Julie Miller and the partnership of Andy Miller Stable Inc., John Schmucker, John Mehlenbacher and VIP Internet Stable LLC.
There were four carryovers from Sunday’s card brought over to Thursday and the two with the biggest carryovers, the Pick 4 beginning in the first race and the race three Super Hi-5, each gave one fortunate wagerer a bonanza – the holder of the one successful Pick 4 ticket ($5.20, $6.60, $38.00, $32.80) received a windfall of $15,355.80 for her or his 50-cent wager while the one 50-cent bettor who took down the Super Hi-5 (18-1 and 11-1 on top of the three favourites) received $7,853.50 for skillful handicapping.
(The other two carryovers, much smaller amounts, were certainly not as generous in their returns: five straight favourites won the Pick 5, which returned $6.30 for 50 cents, and the last three of those favourites were a Pick 3 combination who returned $4 per $1 invested.)
Five drivers recorded doubles on the Thursday card: Simon Allard, Kasper Foget, Andy Miller, David Miller and Austin Siegelman. The meet’s leading trainer, Per Engblom, topped them all with three successes.
Harrah’s Philly will be racing on Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m. It will then be dark on a “normal racing Thursday” to let fans, horsepeople and workers enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. The draw for Friday the 25th is set for Monday of next week, and for Sunday the 27th on next Tuesday.
(With files from PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)