CHESTER PA – Rockn Philly, straight off a victory in the Lynch Consolation at Pocono, won as the heavy favorite in the $17,000 featured distaff pace on Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, but she had to be sharp in the stretch to wear down pacesetting Lyons Hedgeabet in 1:51.2.
The victorious sophomore daughter of A Rocknroll Dance was away second for the meet’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, as Lyons Hedgeabet beat the entire field away from the outside post eight and put up fractions of :27, :55.3, and 1:22.3. The leader did not surrender easily, but Rockn Philly found enough late to defeat her main rival by a half length for trainer Jim King Jr. and the ownership of Tim Tetrick LLC and Jo Ann Looney-King.
There were a pair of $16,000 subfeatures, one for filly and mare pacers and the other for trotters. The pacing event was captured by the Captaintreachrous sophomore filly Alii Nui, who advanced with cover, went three-deep mid-far turn, swept by pacesetting Afraid Not Hanover, then held off the inside move of Ilana Z Tam in 1:52.3 by ¾ of a length. Driver Marcus Miller’s father Erv trains the winner, now victorious in four of her last eight starts for Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Hannah Miller, Nick Surick Stable LLC, and Louis Willinger.
On the trot, Amador passed Smooth Acceleration going to the quarter and set reasonable middle fractions,with Massive Opulence grinding up first-over. When the first-up made a break headstretch, Smooth Acceleration moved out to challenge, but driver Simon Allard kept the Yankee Glide sophomore gelding Amador rolling and nosed out his charging rival in 1:55.4. It was the second consecutive victory notched by Amador for owner/trainer Joseph King.
Before heading to The Meadowlands for nighttime stakes duty after the ninth race, David Miller, the leading active moneywinning driver with over $235M, won four races on the Friday afternoon card.