Chester, PA — A trio of $12,600 events for developing horses — two on the trot and one on the pace — highlighted the opening of the racing week Wednesday afternoon (June 28) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The faster of the trotting contests went to the Father Patrick gelding Pedal On Metal, who came home in :28 from way back defeat Strongerthanlindy by 1-1/4 lengths and reduce his career mark by three seconds to 1:54.2 under the handling of Tim Tetrick. Pedal On Metal now has two wins and a second-place finish in three seasonal starts for trainer Anette Lorentzon, who also shares ownership with ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson.
In the other trot, King Tut Hanover made every pole a winning one, holding off the stretch thrust of favorite Candy Bomber by a nose in a lifetime best 1:57. David Miller drove the winner for trainer Louise Pepin, who co-owns the Explosive Matter gelding with Steven Bryden.
The distaff pacing feature saw the 1-9 Sweet Lou sophomore filly Mind Blowing live up to her billing, stepping home in :55.2 to complete a three-length victory over JK A E One in 1:52.1. Andrew McCarthy drove the Linda Toscano trainee for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Bottom Line Racing LLC and South Mountain Stables.
In a first of a pair of 2-year-old pacing filly contests, the Stay Hungry-Maniana filly Chiapanecas set fractions of :29.2, :58 and 1:26.1 en route to a two-length victory over Ginger Tree Belle in 1:53.4 — a season’s record for a rookie filly on a five-eighths-mile track and equal to any 2-year-old pacer of either sex — for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke and owner Bill Donovan.
After fractions of :29, :57 and 1:25.4 in the other cut, Gingras and Burke tried for a sweep with the uncovered Lou Lou, but they were caught by three-quarters of a length by the Stay Hungry-Skinny Dip miss Lyons Legend in 1:54.1, a winner for Threelyonsracing and the team of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr.
Racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia continues on Thursday (June 29) and Friday (June 30) at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday (July 2) at 12:40 p.m. Thursday’s program will feature a $1,751.59 carryover into the Pick-5 (races 5-9). Sunday’s card features the $142,148 third preliminary of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colts, with the likes of Khaosan Road, already a triple stakes winner this year; and Once In A Lifetime, the division’s defending Sire Stakes champion, among the entrants. Program pages for all races at Harrah’s Philadelphia are or will be available on the PHHA website.