Chester, PA — Pacesetting Goes Down Smooth held off a long uncovered challenge from favorite Arabella’s Cadet to win the $14,400 trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 3).

David Miller got the victorious 4-year-old altered son of Muscle Hill to the lead near the quarter, rated the half, then braced for the stern challenge of Arabella’s Cadet. Goes Down Smooth had enough to resist the hard-fighting mare by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.3, just a fifth off his lifetime record taken here two starts ago.

A winner of 11 out of 40 career starts and $269,227, Goes Down Smooth is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Bill Switala and James Martin.

In the $13,600 co-feature, the improving Cash Hall gelding SVF Cash Deposit took over the lead on the far turn and went on to a lifetime mark of 1:55.2, keeping closer Yankees Beast two lengths in arrears at the finish. Andrew McCarthy drove the winner for owner/trainer Justin Lebo.

For Sunday’s $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes finals for three-year-olds, No Lou Zing was established as the early favorite in the colt pace, Amigo Volo in the colt trot, defending champion Sister Sledge in the filly trot, and the undefeated Party Girl Hill in the filly pace.

Party Girl Hill’s race, with the likes of Rocknificent, track record holder JK First Lady, and 2019 PaSS and national champion Lyons Sentinel, will likely attract the greatest interest, as it has arguably four of the division’s top half-dozen fillies all against one another.