CHESTER PA – On Friday afternoon Dougs Babe A enjoyed the switch from Yonkers to Harrah’s Philadelphia, winning the $13,000 handicap pacing feature for females in 1:52.1.
Andrew McCarthy brought the daughter of Western Terror, the 2-1 second choice, to first-over position in the middle of the backstretch, and the pair grinded away against pacesetting favorite Elegant A. It was the favorite who gave way in the stretch and the first-over continuing strongly with her own back half in :55.3, as the Nifty Norman-trained Dougs Babe A won by a half-length over two-holer Misty Coast, boosting her lifetime bankroll to $523,804 for Norman’s Enzed Racing Stable Inc. and partners Tom Vassiliou and Nicholas Tallarico.
A pair of $12,000 events for classclimbing horses served as the co-features. The trotters were mastered by the Walner colt Flightline in his 2025 debut, moving down the backstretch uncovered, getting a pocket retuck behind leading Tadbone before the three-quarters, then gobbling that filly up to win going away in 1:55.2, with his own back half in :55.4. Tyler Miller drove the impressive sophomore to the easy win for trainer Julie Miller, and the partnership of Andy Miller Stable Inc., Patrick Hoopes, Mary Kinsey Arnold, and T L P Stable.
The contest for pacing distaffs saw the Captaintreacherous filly Almost Persuaded win for the second straight week, reducing her mark to 1:53 in doing so. Driver Victor Kirby kept the sophomore close to the front-end action throughout, then used the inside passing lane to defeat 2025 debutante Bytheliteofthemoon by a half-length. Bryan J. Truitt owns and trains the winner of half her six seasonal starts after not racing at two.
Racing resumes on Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia at 12:40, with the highlights a $14,000 pace for up-and-coming horses, and a $13,000 race for the fast-class sidewheelers. The following week will see a one-week shift in the Philly schedule, as there will be no racing on Thursday (May 1), then action on Friday (May 2) at 12:25, Kentucky Derby Saturday (May 3) at noon, and Sunday (May 4) at 12:40. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.