Chester, PA — Mississippi Storm, advancing without cover through the last half, wore down pacesetter Muscle M Up late to win the $17,500 trotting feature in 1:53.3 on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 26) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

After a :27.3 quarter, Crazy About Pat yielded to Muscle M Up — who had been limbed with cover from the outside post eight until “Pat” cleared — nearing a :56.2 half mile.

The Cantab Hall gelding Mississippi Storm started his uncovered grind soon after that marker, and wasn’t far off the leader when he passed three-quarters in 1:24.4. Through the stretch, the battle narrowed down to these two, and Mississippi Storm proved the better late for driver Pat Lachance, with the three-quarter-length decision boosting his earnings to $282,424 for trainer Tom Fanning and owner Joseph Smith.

In a $14,500 sub-feature trot, the Muscle Hill gelding Jack Vernon made the same type of strong backstretch move that carried him to the lead last week in a race where he finished second. That outing was his first in over three months, and this week, in his second start back, Jack Vernon was that much better, carrying his advantage to the wire in 1:54. Corey Callahan drove the winner of $323,573 for trainer Dylan Davis and owners Thomas Lazzaro and Michael Casalino Jr.

Marcus Schoen, a lieutenant in the powerful trotting brigade of trainer Marcus Melander, enjoyed the first win of his young driving career when he guided the Donato Hanover freshman colt Hopeyousteponalego to a maiden victory in 1:58.4. The pair came first-over into a :57.3 last half and still won handily for Team Melander and the ownership of Courant Inc.