by Mike Bozich, for Harrah’s Philadelphia

Chester, PA — Sunday afternoon (May 15) at Harrah’s Philadelphia featured a high-powered racing program, topped by a winner’s over $25,000 lifetime (race seven).

World Wide Racing Photos

Rockeyed Optimist swept by in the Winner’s Over on Sunday afternoon.

The event featured harness racing’s richest pacer Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras), millionaire pacer P H Supercam (Tim Tetrick), the dominant free-for-aller so far this season, Rockeyed Optimist (Brett Miller) and the red-hot Rene Allard trainee Jins Dragon (Simon Allard).

At the start, P H Supercam got to the front, with Jins Dragon settling into second. Foiled Again was flushed out by Rockeyed Optimist, who took up second over position just past the half. As longshot Rather Swell (Eric Carlson) began to tire from the three hole, Foiled Again ducked to the cones to save ground on the final turn.

As they entered the stretch, Jins Dragon vacated the pocket, while Foiled Again attacked up the passing lane. Rockeyed Optimist had the freshest legs however, as he was able to sweep on by in deep stretch to win by a little more than a head, stopping the timer in 1:50.3. Jins Dragon was second, while Foiled Again finished third.

It was the seventh win this year for the 5-year-old gelding by Rocknroll Hanover and the 22nd of his career. Rockeyed Optimist ($5.60) is owned by Anthony Peretti, Virginia Berkner, Joseph Battaglia, and the A And B Stable, and is trained by Steve Elliott.

Elsewhere on the card, 2012 Levy winner Atochia looked good in victory in the day’s opener. After only posting a handful of starts the past few seasons, the 11-year-old gelding has now won two of his last three. Sunday’s win for the Burke trainee was in a non-winners of $7,500 in the last five starts. The mile went in 1:52.3.