It appears as if Pennsylvania may be blessed with two extraordinary two-year-old pacing fillies this season, as hard on the heels of Papi Grad’s three 1:51.1f miles to open her career, the Sweet Lou – Beach Body miss Beach Rules made a stunning initial start Friday (July 26) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, pacing in 1:50.4f. That clocking ties that of the filly Chantilly, recorded at Woodbine Mohawk, as the fastest mile by any two-year-old this year (at press time).

Coming of a 1:53.4 winning qualifier at The Meadowlands in which she came from far back while pacing her back numbers in :54.4 - :26.4, Beach Rules left the gate like a shot in her purse bow under the guidance of the 21-year-old Enzed phenom Carter Dalgety. Through fractions of :27, :54.3, and 1:22.2, she had a lead of four, three, and four lengths at those respective markers; her advantage increased to eight lengths by the stretch call, and the final margin of victory was 9-1/4 lengths.

Hall Of Fame trainer Linda Toscano trains the impressive homebred filly for Conrad Zurich and Purple Haze Stable LLC. It’ll be interesting to see if both star fillies turn out for the invasion of their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division here on Aug. 15.

Trainer Toscano also sent out the winner of the $16,438 distaff handicap pace for fast-class horses as the Heston Blue Chip mare Odds On Hail Mary took her field wire-to-wire for driver Corey Callahan in 1:52, her third win in her last five starts. DC Batgirl shook loose late and was eating up stretch ground, but she was a neck shy at the wire to the winner, who is owned by Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Odds On Racing. Callahan was top sulkysitter on the day with four wins. 

The $16,438 pace for the top claimers on the grounds saw the Straight Shooting gelding Straight Up Cool win for the fourth time in his last five starts, yet still pay off at 12-1. Troy Beyer reserved the winner just off the speed, then charged home with a :27.1 individual last quarter to win in 1:51.1, a length ahead of Hes Gonna Getya. Straight Up Cool, stepping up in class and still winning, was a new acquisition for trainer Marc Mosher and owner Joseph Riad, who claimed the sharp sidewheeler last week.

The sum of $16,438 was also the purse for a pair of races for developing distaff pacers. The Sweet Lou filly Blue Pacific got her own way on the front end to the half, then came home in :55.2 to ward off the uncovered Parkavenuelisa by a nose in 1:52.2 for driver Corey Callahan, trainer Joe Holloway, and Val D’Or Farms.

In the other section of this class, Let It Ride Stables Inc. got a second feature win on the afternoon with a daughter of Heston Blue Chip, as the sophomore Bares All gained good ground uncovered , pacing her own back half in :55.2 to tally in 1:52.3 for driver David Miller and trainer Robert Cleary.

Sunday (July 28) has a $15,000 USD and a $14,000 USD event for fast-class pacers, and both races have three horses handicapped outside due to earnings – with the some trainers outside in each race: Ron Burke, Tom Cancelliere, and Mark Silva. There will also be a carryover into the fifth race’s Pick 5 wager.

(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)