Chester, PA — The rampaging South Beach Star overcame the outermost post in winning the $13,000 fast-class handicap pacing feature in 1:50 on Sunday (June 2) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

The victorious Somebeachsomewhere gelding was limbed three- then two-wide past a searing :25.4 opener, but driver David Miller kept the horse pressing onward to the lead in front of the stands. South Beach Star got a breather to a :55.1 half, sharpened the speed as first-over Camara Moment (Andrew McCarthy) ranged up, and paced home with two :27.2 quarters in holding off the persistent grinder by a length.

South Beach Star, the winner of the Senditin Invitational here on Super Sunday last week, now has three straight wins after opening his year being beaten a neck while second. A career winner of $435,994, the “Star” is trained by Mark Silva for All Star Racing Inc.

The American Harness Drivers Club made their 2024 debut at Philly with two trots and a pace, and driver Newton “Yogi” Sheridan got the big “pic-a-nic basket” in all three contests.

The trots were pretty straightforward, with both winners trained by Terry Morgan: Sheridan fronted his field with Lionhead, whom Morgan owns, in a 1:57.2 victory, then rallied from the two-hole with Drazzmatazz to get home first in 1:58.3 for Danbry Racing Inc.

The pace was quite a spectacle. With no fewer than five horses in the eight-horse field being four-wide for a portion of the mile, it was the pacesetter, Transfer The Era (Tony Beltrami), who crossed the wire first in 1:56.4. However, Transfer The Era bore out in the stretch, impeding Rock Idol and Sheridan, with the result that Transfer The Era was placed second behind Rock Idol, who is trained and owned by Dean Eckley.

The racing week at Harrah’s this coming week consists of Thursday and Friday cards at 12:25 p.m. and a Sunday card at 12:40 p.m.. With Sire Stakes fillies coming in on Sunday and perhaps some two-year-olds making their pari-mutuel bow, there may be enough horses for Harrah’s to add Wednesdays on June 12. Free Philly programs will be available at www.phha.org.