from Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack

Chester, PA — Lightning Stable’s Phyleon parlayed a first over trip into a victory in the first edition of the $37,400 Ted Leonard Memorial Final for 3- and 4-year-old distaff pacers at Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack on Wednesday, July 25.

World Wide Racing Photos

Phyleon was a 1:52.3 winner in the Ted Leonard Memorial Final.

Sent off at odds of 16-1, Phyleon left nicely from the gate for driver Daniel Dube to secure good early position, sitting fourth behind Sweet Lips, Kash Luv and Weekie Wachie through an opening quarter in :27. The same could not be said for 3-2 favorite Career Artist, who made a costly break at the start and found herself more than eight lengths in arrears as the field passed the stands for the first time.

Weekie Wachie took the field through the half-mile in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:23.4, with Sweet Lips sitting the pocket trip. By this time, Dube had moved Phyleon to establish the outer flow and the 3-year-old daughter of Western Ideal continued to grind away entering the homestretch, collaring first Sweet Lips and then a fading Weekie Wachie. Her final margin was two lengths, and her final time of 1:52.3 established a lifetime mark.

Career Artist finished in a dead heat for second, but was disqualified to last for interfering with Role Reversal at the start. Sweet Lips was elevated from second dead heat to second, with Weekie Wachie being awarded third money.

The victory was the second for Phyleon in only nine lifetime starts. Trained by Anthony Mannino, Phyleon was victorious in a Ted Leonard elimination last week, and second in the first leg on July 11.