CHESTER PA – The card at Harrah’s Philadelphia for Sunday was pushed back a day to Monday because of the high heat index, but Seeing Eye Single didn’t let the day’s delay bother him at all, closing for a 1:51.1 victory in the $18,000 pacing feature.
The Dragon Again gelding tucked in third early for driver Corey Callahan, then was able to get outside again as Statement Made A made a powerful uncovered move to get by pacesetting favorite Mister Ohanzee A, with Winona Sizzler A and Seeing Eye Single in the clearing one’s wake. The winner kicked n strongly in the last 1/8 and was along by a half-length over Statement Made A, with Winona Sizzler A another neck back in third. Ron Burke trains the winner of $391,096 for the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby, and Lawrence Karr.
In the other split, Bobbies Power Play moved outside from the two-hole and was able to overhaul favored Palomar by 1¼ lengths in a 1:52.1 clocking. The Rustler Hanover gelding, a career earner of $230,737, was making his debut after a claim for owner/trainer Mark Kesmodel, who has more UTR titles at Philly all-time than any other conditioner with three.
Blood Line paced a second consecutive 1:50 mile at Philly in taking a $12,500 pace for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Per Engblom, and Diamond Creek Racing. The son of Somebeachsomewhere streaked a :26.2 third quarter to open up a huge lead and won for fun while raising his earnings to $413,508.
Driver Pat Lachance scored the 2000th win of his sulky career in the second race, going wire-to-wire from post eight with Mike’s Z Tam in 1:50.2. The 44-year-old Lachance, son of Hall of Famer Mike Lachance, is one of the thinning breed known as “trainer/drivers,” as he also has over 1500 victories as a conditioner; he trains Mike’s Z Tam as well. Pat is also one of the few drivers to win his very first purse start, with Running Horse at Windsor in October of 1995.