Chester, PA — Mississippi Storm out-sprinted Scirocco Rob to the early lead and then out-brushed him in the final eighth to earn a 1:52.3 victory in Thursday afternoon’s (Aug. 5) $16,200 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Mississippi Storm, handicapped to the outside post seven, left swiftly to take command in a :27.2 opening quarter, then was able to back off the middle fractions to :56.3 and 1:25 in rein to David Miller. Through the lane, the two big favorites sprinted to the finish line, with Mississippi Storm’s :27.3 last quarter enough to keep Scirocco Rob a half length back at the line. Tom Fanning conditions the victorious Cantab Hall gelding for owner Joseph Smith.

Miller also captured the $14,400 co-featured trot with Bang Bang Boinga in 1:56.4. With two outside rivals challenging early, Miller drove a smart race, forcing one to tuck and yielding to the other for a two-hole trip. When the open stretch came into play, Miller took the 4-year-old Explosive Matter gelding there and rallied for a half-length tally over Bountiful Britney for trainer Joseph Poliseno and owner Ellie Sarama.

Besides sweeping the features, Miller added two more victories to top all drivers with four wins on the card.

Friday’s (Aug. 6) card is headlined by the second preliminary round of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series for 2-year-old trotting fillies. Each Sire Stakes division will feature a first-round winner: Dreamonhigh in race two and Mimi Ocean Hanover in race six. Post time is 12:25 p.m.; program pages are available via the PHHA website.