The Sweet Lou-New Year sophomore gelding Toast Of The Town, last seen getting a luckless trip in his Little Brown Jug elimination after scoring three stakes wins at as many tracks in Pennsylvania, returned to that state and won the $19,718 featured conditioned pace for up-and-coming horses at Harrah's Philadelphia on Sunday, Oct. 18.

Jack Pelling made a move after the :26.4 opening quarter with the gelding to take over command before the :54.3 half. Toast Of The Town opened distance on his opposition before the 1:23 three-quarters and was in no danger to the wire, with Moneyhill Gb (Jonathan Ahle) rallying up the inside to take second, 2-1/2 lengths back in the 1:51.2 mile. Pack A Punch (George Napolitano Jr.) finished third. 

Noel Daley conditions the career winner of $350,311 and nine races in 24 starts for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Morrison Racing Stables, Jesmeral Stable and Alberg Racing LLC. The win price was $2.20.

Mardi Gras Man ($5), who had ripped off seven straight wins before so-so efforts in his last couple, rebounded in a big way in the $19,014 sub-feature for developing male pacers, making every pole a winning one in a 1:51.1 mile. The altered sophomore son of Stay Hungry-Sweeter Lulu has mostly been an off-the-pace type, but here driver Simon Allard had him on the stick rather quickly, and he stayed strong with a :55 back half to defeat 152-1 shot Mick Steamy (Art Stafford Jr.) by 3-1/2 lengths. Lous Rodeo (Patrick Ryder) completed the top three. Allard, trainer Stacy Chiodo and owner Timothy Tobias Stable LLC combined again after winning Friday’s feature with Luckylady Hanover.

The fourth of four consecutive winners for Allard (he now trails Tim Tetrick 113-107 for the top spot in the meet) came courtesy of the six-year-old Always B Miki-Macharoundtheclock gelding Joemikiyoursofine ($8.20) in the $18,310 conditioned pace for the fast-class group. The winner, trained by Chris Choate for owners Anthony Ruggeri and Richard Tosies, stung American Son (Patrick Ryder) in a stiff opening panel before letting him go to sit in the golden chair, then came back in the stretch to be 1-3/4 lengths clear of that rival in 1:51.4. Ignatius A (Jonathan Ahle) was third.

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation made a stop at Harrah’s Philly and conducted two “Pink Out” races featuring full fields of eight female drivers. Marianna Monaco, a 31-year-old provisional driver who races primarily in Maine, certainly enjoyed her visit to southeast Pennsylvania, winning both Pink Out events, with Aint Nostopn Time (1:53.4, $5.40) and Allstar Cheddar (1:53.2, $11.20). The two Pink Out races were announced by Jessica Paquette, who calls the races at Parx thoroughbred track just up I-95 from Philly. The proceeds from the women drivers, and from the two races for the American Harness Drivers Club (both were won by Yogi Sheridan, who also trained Monaco’s first success story and one of his own AHDC winners), will be donated to the Komen Foundation.

Mostly everybody who had multiple wins at Philly on Sunday has been mentioned already: Simon Allard with his four driving wins, plus driving doubles by Monaco and Sheridan, who also trained a pair. Jim Marohn Jr. had a triple, and Mark Herschberger won twice.

Philly will next race on “Trottin’ Thursday” at 12:25 p.m., with last week’s featured trot winner Benjamin Hanover assigned to the outside post seven in the $16,000 USD Winners Over Handicap Trot.

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Toast Of The Town winning on Aug. 28)