The bettors on the $16,439 featured distaff pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday, June 6 sent off Verity Blue Chip as the heaviest of favourites, but she had to settle for second behind the wire-to-wire winner Intricacy, who took a new mark of 1:51.4. 

Intricacy, a sophomore daughter of Papi Rob Hanover who wound up the 5-1 second choice in her second start of the year, headed right for the front end under the guidance of meet leader Tim Tetrick, laying down fractions of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:23.4, with Verity Hanover getting to the wheel while raw at the three-quarters. But Intimacy had more in reserve and stretched her advantage to 2-3/4 lengths by the finish while winning for Joseph Davino, Brad Shackman, Patrick O’Brien and Drennan Stable. 

The $15,069 handicap pacing co-feature for fast veteran females also fell to the four-time defending Philly driving champion Tetrick, and again the winner, In The Spotlight N, paid a very un-“Timmy T” price of $21.20. The Bettors Delight mare followed cover late on the backstretch, continued to advance as the first-over cleared mid-far turn, then stayed strong to win by a length in 1:52.2 over favoured Miss Dottie Mae. Jeff Cullipher trains In The Spotlight N for Pollack Racing. 

In all, Tetrick won half of the 10 races for which he was at Philly, then headed to The Meadowlands for stakes competition. George Napolitano Jr. visited Victory Lane three times, meaning that eight of the 14 contests on Friday were captured by the two drivers who have won the last 18 win crowns at the Harrah’s oval (Cat Manzi won in the opening year of 2006; nobody else has ever won that crown). 

Philly closes out the racing week on Sunday, June 8, with a 12:40 p.m. card featuring a pair of races for developing trotters and a duo on the pace for the veteran set.

(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)