by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Chester, PA — Royal Cee Cee N and driver Ron Pierce went from last to first to win Sunday’s $100,000 Betsy Ross Invitational for pacing mares by a half-length over favorite Put On A Show in 1:49.3 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Anndrovette, who won the 2011 Betsy Ross, was third.

Royal Cee Cee N, a 6-year-old mare owned by trainer Mark Harder, was sent off at 8-1 odds and paid $19.80, $7.00 and $4.20.

World Wide Racing Photos

Royal Cee Cee N rallied late to win the Betsy Ross in a time of 1:49.3.

Royal Cee Cee N was at the rear of the seven-horse field through the early going. Put On A Show, the 4-5 choice, went to the front from post five, but had to battle Higher And Higher through an opening quarter-mile of :26.1 and half of :53.1 to get the lead.

Put On A Show extended her advantage to 3-1/2 lengths over Anndrovette down the backstretch, reaching three-quarters in 1:20, while Pierce began to move Royal Cee Cee N from the back of the pack by racing on the outside. He moved Royal Cee Cee N three wide around the final turn and was able to pass Put On A Show in deep stretch for the victory.

“It was a very, very exciting race to watch,” Harder said. “That’s as excited as I’ve been watching a race in a long time. I know they were going big fractions and they’re going to come back to you, but Put On A Show was a long way in front of us at the three-quarter pole and we were three wide.

“It’s a lot to ask to be going that speed and be three-wide all the way around that turn. I know they were going fast fractions and it was hard on the front-runners, but that’s still a big performance to give you. The fractions helped her, but she did it on heart too.”

Royal Cee Cee N was 7-3/4 lengths from the lead after three-quarters of a mile and still 5-1/2 lengths behind at the top of the stretch.

“At the half, I thought if we could’ve pulled and gotten ahead of one horse, I thought we’d get a good check,” Harder said. “When we were still sort of fourth over going down the backside I thought if she had some pace she’d get a little piece of it. When he pulled her three wide, I thought we had a shot to be third or second.

“Even at the top of the stretch, I thought we would be a clear second; I didn’t think she was going to get (to the front). But with about 30 or 40 yards to go, she went from looking like we were going to be a good second to having a chance to get there.”

Royal Cee Cee N has won five of 12 races this year and earned $142,810. She has 12 wins and three second-place finishes in 17 lifetime starts at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

“It’s a speed-favoring track, for sure, but she’s won a lot of races from the back there,” Harder said. “She just likes the place.

“She won in (1):49.3 there last year. She’s beaten some good quality mares. She’s a good mare.”