The “Trottin’ Thursday” (May 9) card at Harrah’s Philadelphia certainly was a showcase for the diagonally-gaited horse, as five sub-1:55 miles were rung up, including a repeat win by the mare Chake in the $17,808 headline fast-class event. (There was also the fastest mile of the year at Philly, 1:49.1 – recorded by a maiden, but we’ll talk about that North America Cup eligible pacer in a minute.)

The Donato Hanover five-year-old mare Chake again mastered the best trotters at the southeast Pennsylvania oval, going right to command and putting up fractions of :27, :56.1 and 1:24.2. Those numbers preceded a :27.3 dash to the wire to complete the mile in 1:52, a new lifetime record and only two-fifths of a second off the divisional track record held by Manchego. Double millionaire pocket-sitter Crystal Fashion was 1-1/4 lengths behind the chalk winner, who was driven by Simon Allard for owner Daniel Sarafian and trainer Per Engblom, the only conditioner who doubled on the day and now the leader in the local training standings. 

The other fast winners on the trot were Yanks Dugout in 1:52.2, both Dire Straits and Swans Maid in 1:53.3 (a lifetime best for the latter), and Fifty Ways (1:54.2, a new mark).

That 1:49.1 time was indeed the quickest clocking of the young season at Philly, and it was recorded in his 2024 debut by the sophomore Total Stranger, who earned $87,205 at two without winning. Yannick Gingras handled the colt by Bettors Delight out of world champion mare Precocious Beauty and thus a full brother to Tall Dark Stranger, and he had a handful of horse in front of him from the word “go!” The pair started out with three :26.4 quarters (:26.4, :53.3, 1:20.2), at the last-named station commanding a 15-length lead. Total Stranger finished out his mile 8-1/2 lengths ahead of Cereal Assassin and fully looked the part of a sophomore who could fit in the very top classes for trainer Nancy Takter and owners Judith Taylor, Caviart Farms and Chuck Pompey. 

Allard and Gingras were joined in posting driving doubles by Corey Callahan, David Miller and Tim Tetrick, the last-named winning the final race to edge ahead of Todd McCarthy 23-22 for the number one spot among drivers.

A pair of $13,500 USD contests, one on each gait, will headline Friday’s 12:25 p.m. action at Harrah’s Philly; there will also be a carryover into the first race Pick-4. 

(With files from PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)