Chester, PA — On The Watersedge surged from the pocket to catch favored Ginger Tree Belle in the stretch and win Friday afternoon’s (May 31) $12,000 featured distaff pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia, winning by three-quarters of a length in a new mark of 1:52.4.

Simon Allard guided the Freehold invader to the two-hole as the Ginger Tree Belle carved out splits of :27, :55.3, and 1:23.4, then got On The Watersedge past the leader for trainer Richard Bilach and owner Ms. Dawn Ghiraldi. The Rockin Image filly lowered her mark by 4-1/5 seconds with the feature race win.

Driver Tony Morgan and owner-trainer Chris Temming bookended the card, starting with Twig’s 1:51.2 front-end victory in the $11,500 top-line claiming handicap pace. The altered son of Mr Apples blazed his last half in :54.4 while missing his lifetime mark by a fifth of a second. Temming had the only training double of the day; Morgan was joined in posting a double by Allard, Andy McCarthy and Jack Pelling.

Jack Pelling’s father, Brett, trains Direction, an Always B Miki filly who is unbeaten in three seasonal starts and is seven–for-nine lifetime after an impressive 1:51 win, the fastest of her career, in a $9,500 distaff pace. With Jack driving a stablemate for his father, Todd McCarthy (wearing the colors of owner Diamond Creek Racing), got the call behind Direction and, after early exchanges of the lead, wound up in the pocket, from which his filly rallied.

The racing week closes at Harrah’s Philly on Sunday (June 2) at 12:40 p.m., with South Beach Star starting from the outside post six in the $13,000 handicap pacing feature, looking to follow up on his victory in the #SendItIn Invitational last week. Bettors will also have the chance to wager into a Pick-5 pool (races 5-9) carrying over $2,194.40.

Harrah’s Philadelphia was to have started Wednesday racing this coming week, on June 5, but a card could not be fielded. Instead, Philly will race Thursday and Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m., with the intention being to have a Wednesday program on June 12.

Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org.