CAR KEYS TURNS ON SPEEDY RUSH, TAKES PHILLY FEATURE

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Car Keys, a three-year-old daughter of Always B Miki, had to clear some traffic trouble in a very contested $14,000 distaff pacing feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon, but she was steered to a flowing lane by driver Patrick Ryder and got the job done as the favorite in 1:52.2.
 
Car Keys, starting from post six in a field of seven, settled for the pocket behind an early :27.3 quarter, which became third-in position as a foe went on to clear well before the :55.4 half. The outer tier was in high gear passing the pylonsitters down the back, with Ryder able to get to the two-wide passing lane going towards the 1:23.4 three quarters. 23-1 Dominican Sunshine, a part of the lively backstretch train, took the lead into the stretch, but Car Keys was able to shift to high gear and went past the longshot by half a length. A winner of three of her last four starts (the loss was a good third in her NJ Classic Final), Car Keys is trained by Patrick’s father Chris for Margaret Dey and Matthew Stolte
 
In the $12,000 co-feature for developing distaffs, the Cattlewash sophomore filly Aardies A Wash made it two straight since coming here from Canada, hitting the wire in 1:53.4. Driver George Napolitano Jr. did well to hold the filly together as she took the odd rough step entering the first turn seeking the lead, made the top of the quarter, and held sway the rest of the way, with two-hole favorite Kissin In The Dark narrowing in gradually late but coming up a head shy. Petter Engblom trains the winner for M T Stables Ontario Inc.
 
There were also two $12,000 pacing events for two-year-olds, one for each sex.
 
The event for males saw Somehriznsomewhere and No Easy Touch installed as the two favorites, in that order. Somehriznsomehere got to the front and set most of the pace, but No Easy Touch, who worked out a pocket trip, was able to come up the inside from driver Troy Beyer and catch the chalk by a neck         while establishing a maiden mark of 1:54.2. Linda Toscano trains the winning Bettor’s Wish – Drop The Ball gelding for Let It Ride Stables Inc., South Mountain Stables, Hutchison Harness and CT Stables.
 
Among the fillies, the Captaintreacherous – Bet On Sunday miss Treacherous Bet, a solid checkgetter in Sire Stakes competition, made her first start for the Burke Brigade a successful one while taking a new mark of 1:55.1. Her 1-9* backers had a few anxious moments as Treacherous Bet raced in midpack until swinging wide off the far turn, whereupon Simon Allard got a good closing burst out of her to catch pacesetter Ponytail Pete by a length for the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc., and Frank Baldachino.
 
Simon Allard and George Napolitano Jr. both won four races at Philly Friday; Napolitano drove both winners for the only trainer to double on the day, Dean Eckley.
 
Racing resumes at Philly on Sunday at 12:40, with the $16,000 handicap pace feature gathering a group who could threaten 1:50. Then after that card, Harrah’s will be taking a week off from live racing, with the trotters and pacers next racing at the riverside oval on Thursday, October 8. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.