Chester, PA – Sophomore pacing males with stakes ambitions were in the spotlight on Wednesday (April 24) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with a pair of $16,000 “nw 5 races” events complemented by two $14,000 “nw 3 races” contests.

Just Plain Loco proved strong early and strongest late, making two moves to win the first of the $16,000 splits in a personal best of 1:53.2. David Miller had sulky duty behind the Well Said gelding for trainer Tom Fanning and owners Paul Lang and Falcon Racing LLC.

In the other feature cut, the Sweet Lou colt Love Me Some Lou was extended further than many 1-9 shots are, with a game Annihilation charging at him in back fractions of :56.3 – :28.1, but Love Me Some Lou won his seasonal debut in 1:52.2. David Miller had sulky duties behind the Tom Cancelliere-trained third-place finisher in the Breeders Crown; Tom’s brother John is the owner.

In one of the $14,000 classes, the Somebeachsomewhere colt Union Station was put on the lead by driver Corey Callahan and made every pole a winning one while lowering his mark to 1:52.3. Val D’Or Farms and Rojan Stables team up behind the winner along with a pair of July Hall of Fame inductees, co-owner Ted Gewertz and trainer Joe Holloway.

In the other subfeature section, the Sweet Lou gelding Skip To My Lou had to go first-over into a :54.2 final half for driver Dexter Dunn, but he didn’t seem to have any problem with the journey, winning nicely in 1:52.1 to equal his mark. The hot Robert Cleary barn guides the fortunes of the winner for Royal Wire Products Inc.

Trainer Marcus Melander, the 2018 Rising Star Award winner, teamed up with a pair of former Rising Star winners to break the maiden status of two nice 4-year-old trotting fillies who took new marks. Miss Trixton (Trixton – Possess The Magic) was guided by Yannick Gingras (2003 Rising Star winner) to a 1:55.1 victory for Order By Stable, and then Matter Of Fact (Explosive Matter – Chips N Caviar) fronted her field in 1:55.2 for Tim Tetrick, who won the Rising Star in 2007, and Vicky Trotting Inc.