CHESTER PA – Trainer Tom Fanning, driver Tim Tetrick, and owner Joseph Smith combined to win the two fast-class events during the “Trottin’ Thursday” card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, while a few younger horses showed themselves ready for stakes action with convincing victories.
The top purse event was a $14,400 event taken by the Cantab Hall gelding Mississippi Storm, whom Tetrick put on the lead at the quarter and went on to a handy 1:54 victory, with Morairtime second and favored Trolley third behind the victorious winner of $315,724 for Fanning and Smith.
In the co-feature, the engine also provided the path to success for the Trixton gelding No Drama Please, who came in for some drama at the three-quarter pole when Perfect Stick made a big uncovered move to draw even, but the pacesetter shook off that one’s challenge to take a new mark of 1:53.2 and boost his bankroll to $242,676 for Team Fanning/Tetrick/Smith.
Another sophomore trotting filly making a winning bow in 2020 was the Sebastian K S miss Next Level Stuff, who tucked early, followed up second-over, then had strong trot in the stretch to stop the timer in 1:54.2 while raising her earnings to $172,255. Tim Tetrick had the winning steer for trainer Jim Campbell and the Runthetable Stables.
The two-year-old pacing fillies made their pari-mutuel bows, and the Roll With Joe – Lorrie Please baby Easy To Please certainly stamped her name in many observer’s memory, holding off the impeccably-bred (Always B Miki – JK She’salady) JK Alwaysbalady easily. The real eye-opener was the timer – after Easy To Please made the lead and strolled to the half in :59.3, she then blitzed home in :54.4 - :27.1 – in her first purse start – to complete a 1:54.2 package. Allan Davis drove the fast filly for trainer Michael Hall, also co-owner with the CTC Stable and the Our Three Sons Stable LLC.