The Sweet Lou three-year-old gelding Solid Character overcame the outermost post and two stubborn stretch rivals to take Harrah's Philadelphia's $18,750 featured pace on Wednesday, July 31 in a lifetime best 1:50.2.

Despite the tough draw, Solid Character had a solid lead before the :26.2 first quarter for driver Simon Allard, then put up mid-splits of :55.2 and 1:22. Captain Caveman, in his first start since May 18, stayed close in the pocket then moved out in the stretch, while Goliath Hanover gapped third-in during the fast third panel then charged on steadily up the inside. But both missed by three-quarters of a length, with Captain Caveman photoing out Goliath Hanover behind the winner, who is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan and Tom Wilson.

Solid Character was the eighth of eight straight winning favourites in races three through 10; the chalk missed out in the Early Double and the last four contests.

Ifthasritthatsrong is hard to spell and hard to catch, showing the latter trait for the second time in as many local starts with a 1:51.3 victory in the $16,667 co-featured pace. Impressive in a 1:49.4 win on his local debut, the winning Stag Party gelding had to circle first turn trouble to get the lead, then remained in control, sprinting home in :54.3 to stop the timer in 1:51.3. Simon Allard was again the winning driver for trainer Robert Belcher and owner Todd Rosenberg. 

Allard and Marcus Miller each notched three triumphs on the Wednesday card at Philly.

Thursday has Philly’s usual strong “Trottin’ Thursday” card, highlighting top local horses on the diamond gait, with the double millionaire Crystal Fashion the favourite in the $13,000 USD feature as he seeks his fourth straight. Harrah’s Philadelphia now returns to a basic schedule of racing on Thursday and Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m.

(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)