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CHESTER PA - The
American Ideal mare Its Mesmerise N got a great trip in the pocket behind Bye Bye Felicia, then came outside in the lane and ran that one down by a neck in 1:52.1 while winning the $11,600 featured harness racing distaff pace at Harrah s Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon.
Driver Simon Allard kept Its Mesmerise N in the golden chair behind fractions of :27.4, :57.2, and 1:24.3, and when first-over favorite New Year could make no headway, the race came down to the front two. The New Zealand import had :54.3 back-half speed while recording her eleventh victory of the year and to go over $100,000 in career earnings for trainer Chris Ryder and Windemere Stables LLC.
A pair of carryovers are sure to make a special Christmas Eve (Thursday, Dec. 24) program of harness racing at Harrah s Philadelphia all the more attractive to players across North America.
In conjunction with the United States Trotting Association s Strategic Wagering Program, Harrah s Philadelphia will offer a $10,000 guaranteed pool in the Pick 4, which begins in race seven. The guarantee was prompted by a carryover of $1,736.87 after favourites were shut out in Wednesday s (Dec. 23) sequence. The Pick 4 is a 50-cent base wager with a 15 percent takeout.
Two races earlier, the 20-cent Jackpot Hi-5 will afford bettors a $15,746.52 carryover in the fifth race. If not claimed by one unique winner on the Christmas Eve card, it will roll over into a mandatory payout on Sunday s (Dec. 27) season finale.