CHESTER PA – Younger pacers took the week-opening spotlight Wednesday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with four $12,600 events featuring up-and-coming horses.
Fastest winner in the three sections for males was the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Mad Man Hill, who took a new mark of 1:51.2. Simon Allard extricated the sophomore out of a shuffle situation after Curbside Pickup had brushed to a sizable lead, and the “Mad Man” had enough late speed to catch his opponent by a head for trainer Ed Gannon Jr. and the partnership of Zippett Racing Stable and Evan Katz.
Team Allard/Gannon combined for a second victory in the features for males when the Betting Line gelding Get Along rallied up the inside to reduce his speed standard to 1:54. Ed Gannon Jr. is also the owner of the sophomore.
In the one section of the feature for distaffs, the Sweet Lou three-year-old Sweet Britches brushed to command in the middle of the backstretch and safely held off her rivals while lowering her mark to 1:53.1. Tim Tetrick drove for trainer Corey Mumford and owner James Turner Jr.
In the top fast-class pace, which went for $11,200, 2019 Little Brown Jug winner Southwind Ozzi has rounded into form nicely for trainer Bill Mac Kenzie, with driver Tim Tetrick moving the son of Somebeachsomewhere to the lead past the quarter and never looking back en route to a 1:50 victory. Vincent Ali Jr. and Alma Iafelice own the winner of $914,836.
Simon Allard and Tim Tetrick, the meet’s leader, each recorded three driving successes on the day.
Featured on the “Trottin’ Thursday” card at Harrah’s Philly will be a $16,200 handicap event which will see 2019 Hambletonian winner Forbidden Trade trying to overcome being assigned the outside post eight for driver Bob McClure and trainer Luc Blais. Post time for the Thursday card is 12:25 p.m.; program pages will be available at https://www.phha.org/harrahspps.html.