Chester, PA — South Beach Star parlayed a perfect pocket journey into a 1:49 victory in the $15,000 fast-class handicap pace Sunday (June 16) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Boiling Oar (Tim Tetrick, post six) and South Beach Star (David Miller, post seven) both boiled away once the gate sprung, and when the Hall Of Famer on the inside asked his horse for a little more mid-first turn, the Hall Of Famer on the outside recognized he was to have a two-hole trip and backed his horse off. Boiling Oil sizzled to fractions of :25.4, :53.4, and 1:21, with favored Maximus Miki (Andrew McCarthy) getting into the big battle before the three-quarters.

In the stretch, Miller dipped the victorious altered son of Somebeachsomewhere to the inside and he produced the most pace late; Maximus Miki held well for second, a length behind the winner and a neck ahead of closing Grand Cayman (Corey Callahan), who got the show dough ahead of Boiling Oar in a photo.

After losing by a neck in his 2024 bow, South Beach Star has been perfect in four starts, including a win in the Senditin Invitational on Harrah’s Super Sunday. Mark Silva trains the winner of $443,494 for All Star Racing Inc.

An $11,000 fast-class subfeature pace went to the Bettor’s Delight gelding Arden Messi N (Jack Pelling), who came his last half in :54.1 while rallying from midpack to win in 1:50.2 under Pelling’s handling. Arden Messi N has now won half of his last six starts for trainer Andrew Harris, who is also co-owner with Bruce Areman.

There were a pair of $12,000 contests for developing horses. The pacing contest saw The Good Doctor (Johnathan Ahle) show no ill effects from a 20-day layoff, going right down the road in 1:50.1 – :54.4 – :27 while establishing a new mark. Ahle drove the son of American Ideal for trainer Noel Daley and owner Morrison Racing Stables.

On the trot, the Walner gelding Mucho Loco (Simon Allard) landed in the three-hole after an alert start for Allard, bided his time inside, then found room deep in the passing lane to edge out his competition while lowering his lifetime best to 1:55.2. Mark Akins trains the winner of two of his last three for A 1 Racing. Allard had four winners on the afternoon to lead all drivers, with two wins coming for Akins, the only trainer to have multiple wins.

Harrah’s continues its schedule of Thursday and Friday racing at 12:25 and Sunday action at 12:40; there will be a carryover into the fifth race Pick-5 on Thursday (June 20). Free Harrah’s programs will be available at www.phha.org.