Chester, PA — On a Sunday afternoon (July 31) at Harrah’s Philadelphia that was not kind to favorites, 11-1 shot Grand Cayman stayed in the day’s trend while winning the $16,200 featured pace on the card in 1:51.1.

Driver Jason Thompson got the altered son of Always B Miki away sharply, then yielded to Lyons Steel before the :26.4 quarter. Favored Whitecookie moved outside in front of the stands to challenge, but he got the cold shoulder from the pacesetter from before the :55.3 half to past the 1:22.4 three-quarters, at which point he began to tire.

Thompson moved Grand Cayman two-wide at head-stretch, collared Lyons Steel, then held off 26-1 runner-up Harambe Deo, who tried to shoot the inside but came up 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner after collaring Lyons Steel for second. Crissy Crissman-Bier sent out her third winner of the day for owner Vincent Ferriero Jr.

The fastest miles of the day came in a pair of 1:50 efforts. The first occurred in the very first race of the day, with P L Ozzy and Montrell Teague following the cover of favored Covered Bridge before reeling in that foe by a neck. P L Ozzy, a son of Sunshine Beach, won his second straight for trainer Dylan Davis, who shares ownership with Michael Casalino Jr.

The American Ideal gelding Town Gossip was one of the few favorites all day to make chalk players happy, brushing to the lead with a lap to go and then drawing away in his 1:50 mile, 4-1/2 lengths clear of Rau Ru. Joe Bongiorno, who topped the drivers colony today with four wins, drove the winner of $467,819 for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and owner Robert Weinstein.

Racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia returns on Wednesday (Aug. 3) at 12:25 p.m., with “free money” an attractive feature: there will be a $5,081.49 carryover in the Pick-5 (races 5-9), and also a $3,678.25 carryover into the Early Pick-4 (races 1-4). Program pages will be available on the PHHA website.