Chester PA — Dean B Hanover benefited from yet another clever drive by the meet’s leading driver Tim Tetrick to win Sunday afternoon’s (June 18) $20,000 Open Handicap Pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia while equaling his lifetime mark of 1:49.3.

The victorious Betting Line gelding got away fourth as Rip Wheeler, fresh off the season’s fastest mile at Pocono of 1:48.1 and stepping up to the big boys here, headed right down the road in fractions of :26.4, :54.4, and 1:21.2. It was only entering the far turn that Jilliby Dynamite A (second) and Lou’s Pearlman (third) moved out to position themselves for late challenges, leaving Tetrick (who had a 9-4-3-1 Philly afternoon before heading to Pocono for stakes action) plenty of room to have his pacer gain inside.

Through the stretch Dean B Hanover, recording his third straight win, had an open road and was up by a length over Jilliby Dynamite A, with Lou’s Pearlman third. Favored Southwind Gendry, who paced this track in 1:47.2 three weeks back, was assigned the outside, didn’t like his leaving chances, then came on strongly late to miss by less than two lengths.

Dean B Hanover is a lifetime winner of $362,164, and is co-owned by trainer Jeff Cullipher, Philly’s leading trainer, and Pollack Racing LLC.

Pollack/Cullipher also teamed for the day’s fastest mile, a 1:49.1 lifetime best by the Sportswriter son Sport Secret. Andy Miller sent Sport Secret right down the road, and he held off millionaire Workin Ona Mystery by a half-length.

There were a pair of $15,300 sub-features. The pacers were topped by another Sportswriter gelding, Sporty M Three. He had three good seconds since a recent layoff and made the breakthrough to the win column while setting a new lifetime best of 1:50.3 for driver Simon Allard, trainer Ron Burke and Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. Sporty M Three came overland to catch the game sophomore filly Ginger Tree Coco by a neck.

In the trotting co-feature, Brave By Design sat behind Betterinpinehurst as that one put up splits of :27.1, :56.2, and 1:25, then came up the inside to catch him by a neck in 1:54.1. David Miller drove the Walner gelding for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and Brave By Design Stable.

Philly’s current racing schedule is Wednesday through Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m. Program pages for all races at Harrah’s Philadelphia are or will be available at the PHHA website.