Harrah's Philadelphia: Liberty Bell stakes kick off

The Liberty Bell Stakes Series, designed to give talented Pennsylvania-sired horses a final seasonal chance at a nice payday, began on Thursday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia. There was an event for 2-year-old males on both gaits, and both freshmen winners, in addition to the winner of the top handicap trot for overnight horses, continued recent strings of successes on Thursday.

The $62,200 Liberty Bell for pacers was won by the Captaintreacherous-Mcsauna colt The Tile Guy, who is now two-for-two since coming under the care of Doug Dilloian Jr. after setting a 1:50 4/5 lifetime mark. Driver Johnathan Ahle was three-wide past the eighth with his colt, ducked him in briefly before the 27 1/5 quarter, then had him moving towards then making the lead well before a 56 second half.

The Tile Guy went his third quarter in 27 seconds to ward off outer challengers past a 1:23 three-quarters and through the turn, then had enough left to fend off the surging pocket-sitter Hungry Marco by a half-length for the ownership of Richard Hernandez and John Moderack.

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In the $45,000 companion Liberty Bell trot, the Greenshoe-Fashion Spooner colt Black Tesla tucked in behind early splits of 28 4/5 and 58 seconds, then trotted his own third quarter in 27 seconds to gain the lead past the three quarters of 1:26. He would go on to hold off pocket-sitting Hook N Reel, who had been briefly bothered when the pace-setter broke after being passed by the winner, by a length. Ridge Warren guided the Nicklas Andersen trainee to his third straight victory for owner Wayne Stoltzfus.

In the $16,000 fast-class handicap trot, the Resolve gelding Resolve To Win came into this Philly feature with five wins in his last seven starts - three victories at Plainridge and two at Pocono. Resolve To Win added a victory at a third "P" to that tally in 1:52 2/5, equaling his lifetime mark for trainer Enrico Robinson and Pollack Racing LLC. The versatile Resolve To Win raced off-the-pace here and was still 3 1/2 lengths off at the stretch call, but an irresistible stretch surge under the handling of Mark Herschberger got him to the wire three-parts of a length ahead of the tough first-over Yall Keep Dreaming.

Tim Tetrick won four races on the card and regained the seasonal dash-winning lead over Simon Allard as he attempts to win his sixth straight Philly title. Doubling drivers included Johnathan Ahle and Ake Svanstedt. One aspect of the day's training stats were Svanstedt exactly matching the numbers he had put up at Pocono on Tuesday: three wins from the barn, with him driving two and the track's leading driver guiding the other (Tyler Buter at Pocono and Tetrick here). Scott Di Domenico had a conditioning double that has put the local trainers race in a three-way deadlock: 42 wins each here for Di Domenico, Joe Bongiorno, and Dean Eckley.

Friday's card will begin at a special post time of 2 p.m. (EDT), as the Breeders' Cup championship will be raced this Friday and Saturday, and available for simulcast viewing and wagering. On the track, there will be two $30,000 divisions of the Liberty Bell stake for 3-year-old trotting males.

--press release (Harrah's Philadelphia/PHHA)--