The harness racing card at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon, May 16 had to be delayed by a half-hour as a fierce storm passed though southeast Pennsylvania and the surface required work to restore it to safe racing shape.

Two and a quarter hours later, with the track just having been upgraded from “sloppy” to “good,” the three-year-old Always B Miki filly Found made her seasonal debut and she posted the fastest mile of the year at Philly, 1:49.2, in winning the $16,667 conditioned feature for distaff pacers.

Jack Pelling got the 2025 debutante a dream trip in the three-hole as Shes A Streaker (David Miller), heavy favourite after an easy win in this class last week, cut all the pace, with Verity Blue Chip (Brad Chisholm), second last week, riding in the two-hole. Shes A Streaker went sensational fractions of :27.1, :55 and 1:21.4 in the off going, but her nearest rivals stayed attached right behind her through past the midpoint of the far turn.

At that point, Verity Blue Chip vacated the pocket, giving a free shot up the inside to Found. Verity Blue Chip did indeed pass the tired pacesetter, but Found found a little more than the pocket horse, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of her while producing the fantastic clocking for trainer Brett Pelling and owner/breeder Diamond Creek.

Found won her third straight race, having taken a pair of Wildcat Series races to end her freshman campaign, but students of pedigree may have found a better reason to be tempted by the 20-1 odds offered on Friday on Found: her dam is Geothermic, who, after being bred to Sweet Lou, produced the 2023 U.S. Horse of the Year Confederate. Found thus must be rated a “ceiling unknown” type right now. 

In the $15,278 co-featured handicap pace for the fast-class distaffs, the Powerful Mist-Cruisinthecoast mare Misty Coast made two speed moves to control the pace for driver Corey Callahan, then stayed safely in front through the lane while posting a final clocking of 1:51.4 over the “good” going. Les Givens conditions the winner of more than a half-million dollars for owner/breeder Stephen Messick.

 The current racing week closes on Sunday with a 12:40 p.m. starting time, with feature events for all top-level pacing classifications and carryover into the Pick 5 beginning in race five. A week from this Sunday on May 25 is of course “Super Sunday” at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with three $100,000 USD Invitationals and the Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old pacing males coming to town. That card will be drawn on Wednesday.

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)