Chester, PA – The trotters and pacers returned for 2024 pari-mutuel racing on Friday (April 13) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with the track condition for the opener of Philly’s nineteenth season going from “sloppy” to “good” to “fast” as the track dried out after a morning rainstorm.

The conditions never reached hurricane force, but the $12,500 pacing feature for distaffs had its own Hurrikane – Hurrikane Lady Lou, a daughter of Sweet Lou who was sent to the lead by driver Dexter Dunn, and won her second straight in 1:55.4, snapping off a :56.2 back half while the surface was still rated as “good.” John McDermott trains the headliner’s winner for Jonathan Klee Racing, Justin Bolasci, Horrikane Racing LLC, and William Garofalo.

The standards for trotting and pacing at the infant meet were both set later in the card over a “fast” surface, and both clockings came from horses who won by wide margins for driver Todd McCarthy. On the pace, the Western Ideal gelding Go West Go Fast went fast in the third quarter to the lead enroute to a 1:52.2 success by 6-3/4 lengths for trainer Lou Pena and P T Stable; perhaps a trifle more impressive was the 1:54.3 trotting victory of the Chapter Seven gelding Seventier, who made the lead past the quarter then came home in :56.3 to win by 8-3/4 lengths for trainer Gareth Dowse and his Dowse Racing Inc.

Hall Of Famers David Miller and Tim Tetrick, 1-2 among active drivers in lifetime earnings, both posted triples on the first card of the meet.

Racing resumes at Philly on Sunday (April 14) at 12:40 p.m., with a $13,000 handicap pace for fast-class horses highlighting the card. Free programs for the races at Harrah’s Philly, racing on Thursday and Friday at 12:25p.m., and Sunday at 12:40 p.m., to begin the meet, are available at http://www.phha.org; that site also features the popular Philly’s Finest tip sheet, which made its return with six top winners, including a $12.00 pick.