After a third (from post 10) in the Breeders Crown final and a second (to U.S. divisional champ Miki And Minnie) in the Three Diamonds final at two, the Captaintreacherous filly Rodeo Drive Deo appears to have lost little of her speed in the transition from freshman to sophomore, winning Friday’s $19,178 pacing feature for distaffs at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

David Miller was content to sit fourth with Rodeo Drive Deo as Manhattan Project carried the field past a :27.3 quarter and a :56.3 half. But Rodeo Drive Deo was soon on the move off the second turn, and before the final turn arrived she had reached the lead via an individual :26.4 quarter as the timer flashed 1:24.2. Rodeo Drive Deo then tacked on a :27.1 final quarter to leave Royally Hot, who had followed her cover, behind by 2-1/2 lengths at the 1:51.3 finish. Bright days appear on the horizon for the swift miss, who won a Home Grown division to start her sophomore campaign and is now two-for-three on the year for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Beasty and J&T Silva - Purnel & Libby. 

Beckoning Yankee, a sophomore daughter of Tall Dark Stranger who won her division’s Weiss Series consolation at Pocono, added Lasix for the $16,438 co-feature and was a 3-1/2-length winner in a career best 1:52.4. A flurry of front-end activity found Beckoning Yankee going to the lead just before the half, but she had no further difficulty the rest of the way in winning for driver David Miller (giving him a sweep of the features), trainer Nifty Norman and the partnership of Pinske Stables, Yankeeland Partners and Lawrence Means.

Trainer Gregory Bowden, a 41-year-old from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, got the first training win of his young career when The Future Is Here stacked widest head stretch after being dead last and paced by everybody for a 1:53.1 three-length win under the guidance of Patrick Ryder.

Tim Tetrick won four races to open a bit of distance atop the local drivers standings.

The Philly racing week ends with a 12:40 p.m. card on Sunday, with features for developing horses on both gaits along with high-level paces for both the fast-class crew and the top claimers on the grounds. There will also be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager. 

(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)