The Explosive Matter gelding Scirocco Rob sat a pocket trip behind favoured Buen Camino, then drew away from the 1-5 shot by three lengths in taking the $18,000 featured trot on Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Buen Camino, a winner of $692,231, went right to the front around Scirocco Rob and put up fractions of :28, :56.3, and 1:24.4, with Sky Marshal applying midrace first-over pressure. That foe would tire, but Scirocco Rob was still quite fresh, and when tipped outside at head stretch he roared right by the chalk in his second start of the year, raising his earnings to $305,898. Mark Silva now handles the conditioning of the winner for owners Kathleen and Lewis Whitaker, Jr.

Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter made his first pari-mutuel drive since his “retirement” at the end of last season (he had guided Manchego in her qualifier last Saturday at The Meadowlands), and Jimmy got the job done with Malibu S, but he probably didn’t miss the sometimes-necessary sweating out an inquiry before posing in the winner’s circle.

The son of Muscle Hill, out of the dam of Walner, was inside two pylons early, but the judges ruled that he was there because of pressure from an outside breaker, so the result stood, and Malibu S now has a mark of 1:58.1 for trainer Per Engblom and Crawford Farms Racing.

We mentioned Manchego a few sentences back, and the former PA Sire Stakes champion makes a good bridge into noting that the trotting fillies come to Philly tomorrow to contest the first preliminary of their Sire Stakes and Stallion Series three-year-old action – four divisions of Sire Stakes races and five of Stallion Series action. There will also be a carryover of $21,824.68 into the Jackpot Hi-5 pool Friday.

On Sunday, Rodeo Rock and Donttellmeagain will start side-by-side from outer slots in a very competitive open pace event in the Great Northeast Open Series.

(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)