CHESTER PA – Rockn Philly, a pacing daughter of A Rocknroll Dance, became the only three-year-old filly to complete a “sweep” of the Simpson and Liberty Bell fall stakes series at Harrah’s Philadelphia, as both gaits raced two $30,000 divisions of their Liberty Bell events Friday.
Victor Kirby sent Rockn Philly right to the lead, and after reaching the quarter in :27, the pair got a breather to a :57.1 half. From there it was full speed ahead, with Rockn Philly coming home in :55.4 - :27.4 to ward off pocketsitter and favorite Alli Nui by a half-length in the 1:53 mile for trainer Jim King Jr. and the ownership of Tim Tetrick LLC and Jo Ann Looney-King. Rockn Philly was supposed to meet another Simpson stakes winner in Trillions Hanover, but that filly was scratched sick.
On the trot, Team Orange Crush, trainer/wife Julie and driver/husband Andy, combined with the Donato Hanover filly American Kosmos to post the faster of the two trotting clockings, 1:55.1. Allowed to get to the half in a comfortable :58.1, the victorious chalk stepped up her game to hold off a long and tenacious grinding challenge by Cloud Nine Fashion. American Kronos held off her pesky foe by a neck for Marvin Katz, Al Libfeld, and Dr. David Goodrow, who saw their sophomore win for the tenth time in eighteen career outings.
Julie and Andy’s nephew Marcus Miller guided the filly who took the other trotting division, the Cantab Hall filly Magical Beliefs, who parlayed a pocket trip into a strong stretch surge that saw her go by favored pacesetter Fade Into You by 1¾ lengths in 1:55.4. Magical Beliefs, who returned to the races sharp for trainer Linda Toscano after a 23-day respite, raised her lifetime bankroll to $301,857 with the triumph for Highland Green Farms, South Mountain Stables, and R-And-I Farms LLC.