Chester, PA — Simon Allard showed the way at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon (June 28) with five driving successes, including with the Rockin Image filly On The Watersedge in the $12,000 distaff handicap featured pace.

Allard grabbed the top from the outside post eight, yielded to Bares All, and watched from the catbird seat as that second choice and favored Really Something had a torrid duel from the middle of the backstretch into the lane. After straightening away On The Watersedge ducked down into the passing lane and was the fresh horse late in a time of 1:53.1. The Richard Bilach-trained sophomore, who has now won her way out of this class with three wins in her last five starts, is owned by Ms. Dawn Ghiraldi.

Allard also helped Front Page Story hang up the fastest mile of the day, 1:49.3, with the Captaintreacherous mare setting a very hot pace then holding off the stretch charge of favored Fade Out. The victorious distaff set a new mark for trainer Mark Steacy, who has been sending out sharp horses in recent days, and Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc.

There were a pair of $11,500 claiming handicap events for high-priced pacers. The quicker cut went to Winbak Willy T, a son of Art Major who has won five of his last eight races, including a 1:50.3 front-end triumph here under the handling of Tim Tetrick. Trainer Crissy Crissman-Bier and owners P T Stable had claimed the horse for $33,000 out of his start, then saw him claimed for $35,000 from this race — but for this five-day stint he made $2,000 in purchase price and a $5,750 win check for his “old team.”

In the other division, Straight Up Cool, who had been 0-for-20 on the year before winning from the pocket last time, went back to closing tactics and won going away in 1:52.1. Shrimp And Grits, on a 13-9-3-0 tear going from the bottom claimers to the top level, set the pace, but Allard had Straight Up Cool rolling three-wide on the far turn and the Straight Shooting gelding would not be denied for trainer/owner Mark Akins, who doubled as a trainer/owner as did Chelsey Faurot.

An $11,250 trot for 2-year-old males saw the Bar Hopping colt Out On The Town add a purse victory to his two qualifying successes, winning in 2:00.2 under patient handling from driver Tony Morgan. Jake Leamon conditions the well-primed freshman for James McDonald and Steve Elliott.

A showdown among 2023 divisional champion Geocentric, Breeders Crown winner My Girl EJ, and double 2024 Pennsylvania Sire Stake winner Rocket Deo will spice up the action in the 3-year-old pacing fillies’ third preliminary leg at Harrah’s on Sunday; the complementary Stallion Series races will also be conducted.

This coming Wednesday marks the return of that day to the local racing calendar, with its first post at 12:25 p.m.

Free programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.