Chester, PA — My Girl EJ ensured her continued place in the discussion among top three-year-old pacing fillies with a 1:51 victory in one of three third-round prelims, totaling $148,625, of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Sunday (June 30) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

My Girl EJ continued to reign supreme during Sire Stake action at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday, Grace Zimmers Photo.

My Girl EJ (Dexter Dunn) took her time working her way to the front, taking command past 2023 divisional winner Geocentric (Tim Tetrick) late on the first turn towards a :26.4 quarter, with Rocket Deo (Andrew McCarthy), the only winner in both of the sire stake prelims to date, settling third. They went that away around the track, with the winning daughter of Sweet Lou getting a big breather to the :56.1 half and then sending away outside pressure past a 1:24 three-quarters.

Geocentric ducked to the passing lane, and Rocket Deo could finally angle wide before midstretch, but Dunn took one look around and saw his filly was safe with a :27 last quarter in her. Geocentric was second, a length behind the winner and a neck ahead of fast-closing Rocket Deo.  But they weren’t catching My Girl EJ as she boosted her lifetime earnings to $806,971 and won her second Sires race this year for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Elizabeth Novak.

The 1:51 time was actually the slowest of the three Sire Stakes divisions; the fastest clocking was the 1:49.3 lifetime mark posted by another filly guided by Dunn, the Captaintreacherous filly Flawless. The Nancy Takter trainee was wide early and moved along to command at the :26.2 quarter, continued on sharply with midsplits of :54.3 and 1:21.4, with first-over Reigning Jade (Yannick Gingras) making a big bid to the latter station until going off stride, and then finished out 2-1/2 lengths clear of Asweetbeachhere (David Miller), who and had edged out the winner last week. Flawless has now won four of six this year for owners Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.

The other Sire Stakes split went to the Always B Miki distaff Miki In Luv (Miller), who equaled her lifetime best of 1:50.4. Miki In Luv sat a pocket trip behind Miraculous Deo (Todd McCarthy) and fractions of :26.2, :55.1, and 1:22.3, then found room up the inside for Miller and got past the pacesetter by a half length. The winner already has nine victories in her brief career, with Ron Coyne Jr. training her for his Ron Coyne Stables, Blair Corbeil, and Richard and Farrell Carney.

Stay Hungry sired two of the three Stallion Series winners, including the quickest in Lyons Legend, home first in 1:51.3 for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim King Jr., and Threelyonsracing.  The ten-time lifetime winner added her second stallion series victory of the campaign, joining Davenport (A. McCarthy) and Parkavenuelisa (Scott Zeron) with that distinction.

The other daughter of Stay Hungry winning in the Stallion Series was Ginger Tree Belle (T. McCarthy), a nose better than Foxy Hill (Dunn) while equaling her career best of 1:52.3 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Steve Cook, and the ownership of Sam Beegle, Ginger Tree Ventures LLC, Knollview Stables 2, and Bob Reber Jr.  Driver David Miller added an stallion series win to his Sire Stakes triumph by guiding the Heston Blue Chip filly Pressure Cooker up the far inside in winning in 1:53.1 for trainer Linda Toscano and Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, and Mac Nichol.

The $14,000 fast-class handicap pace saw the Million Dollar Cam gelding Pat McGarry A go a big first-over trip then hold off last week’s feature winner Grand Cayman in 1:49.4. Driver Jack Pelling got a lot out of the winner of $333,051 for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and owner Howard Taylor.

Wednesdays are added back to the basic racing schedule this week, with 12:25 programs on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and 12:40 on Sundays (having said that, the holiday Fourth Of July Thursday card will begin at 12:40). Free Philly programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.