Chester, PA — It didn’t take long before the first sub-1:50 mile of 2024 was posted at Harrah’s Philadelphia, as  All Class won the $13,000 featured pace in 1:49.3 on Sunday (April 14), just the second program of the year at the southeast Pennsylvania oval.

Many horses took advantage of a backstretch tailwind to throw in a hot quarter en route to victory, but David Miller had the son of Heston Blue Chip on the boil throughout, moving past early leader Dragononthebeach near the :26.3 opening station and then going faster than :28 in each subsequent split, with mid fractions of :54.2 and 1:22. At the finish, All Class maintained a 1-1/4 length lead while Dragononthebeack gave brave but futile chase to the wire behind the Per Engblom trainee, who Morrison Racing Stables own.

Todd McCarthy took honors in the horseman’s colony for the day with a trio of sulky successes. The last was behind Literl Lad Hanover, and when racing resumes at Philly on Thursday at 12:25 p.m., that pacer has the chance to achieve a rare feat in modern harness racing – winning a race during two consecutive cards of competition at one track.

Thursday’s races were drawn last Friday, with Literl Lad Hanover included, and the “eligible at time of entry” rule does not keep Literl Lad Hanover out of his upcoming entered class even though he picked up the big end of the purse in Sunday’s last race – what’s more, Literl Lad Hanover will even get the chance to win the last race of the day in consecutive cards at Philly.

Free programs for Harrah’s Philadelphia will be available at www.phha.org.