Chester, PA — On the heels of Papi Grad’s three 1:51.1 miles to open her career, fellow 2-year-old pacing filly Beach Rules stunned with a 1:50.4 debut effort — joining Chantilly as the fastest 2-year-olds of the season thus far — on Friday afternoon (July 26) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Coming of a 1:53.4 winning qualifier at the Meadowlands in which she paced her final quarter in :26.4, Beach Rules left the gate like a shot in her purse bow under the guidance of the 21-year-old New Zealand driving phenom Carter Dalgety. The Sweet Lou-Beach Body filly maintained an open-length lead through fractions of :27, :54.3 and 1:22.2; she increased her advantage to eight lengths by the stretch call, and her final margin of victory was 9-1/4 lengths. Hall Of Fame trainer Linda Toscano trains the impressive homebred filly for Conrad Zurich and Purple Haze Stable LLC.
![](https://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Beach-Rules-PHL-FRI-072624.jpg)
Toscano also sent out the winner of the $12,000 distaff handicap pace for fast-class horses as the Heston Blue Chip mare Odds On Hail Mary took her field wire-to-wire for driver Corey Callahan in 1:52, scoring her third win in her last five starts. DC Batgirl shook loose late to gain ground, but she finished a neck shy of the winner, who is owned by Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Odds On Racing.
Callahan was the top driver on the day with four wins.
The $12,000 pace for the top claimers on the grounds saw Straight Up Cool win for the fourth time in his last five starts yet still pay off at 12-1. Troy Beyer reserved the Straight Shooting gelding just off the speed, then charged home with a :27.1 last quarter to win in 1:51.1, a length ahead of He’s Gonna Getya. Straight Up Cool, stepping up in class and still winning, was a new acquisition for trainer Marc Mosher and owner Joseph Riad, who claimed the pacer last week.
A pair of races for developing distaff pacers also featured $12,000 purses. The faster division saw the Sweet Lou filly Blue Pacific get her own way on the front end to the half before coming home in :55.2 to ward off the uncovered Parkavenuelisa by a nose in 1:52.2 for driver Corey Callahan, trainer Joe Holloway, and Val D’Or Farms.
In the other section of this class, Let It Ride Stables Inc. got a second feature win on the afternoon with a daughter of Heston Blue Chip, as the sophomore Bares All gained ground uncovered, pacing her own back half in :55.2 to tally in 1:52.3 for driver David Miller and trainer Robert Cleary.