The Somebeachsomewhere gelding Whichwaytothebeach, so gallant in his 2-3 finishes in the Little Brown Jug, was the feature attraction on Friday (Oct. 1) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and he did not disappoint.
He won his $30,000 division of the Liberty Bell stakes for three-year-old pacing colts in 1:50.2; there were three sections for the pacers and two at a like purse for the trotters.
Todd McCarthy — top winner on the day at Philly with four victories — did not rush the star sophomore out of the gate. Going up to grab the lead after a :26.4 quarter, Whichwaytothebeach then made it to the half in :55 and the three-quarters in 1:22.4. His Beats Hanover, from third-inside, made a good stretch showing but was still 1-1/2 lengths off the winner of $515,729, who is trained by Brett Pelling for Alan Johnston and John Craig.
McCarthy and Pelling teamed again to win another pacing section with a Somebeachsomewhere gelding, South Beach Star, who ran his 2021 tally to 9-for-16 with a 1:50.3 win. The winner grabbed command just past a :27.2 quarter from Mad Man Hill, who then stalked him through midsplits of :56 and 1:23.3, then came with a big stretch effort that landed him three-quarters of a length behind the winner. All Star Racing Inc. owns South Beach Star.
The other section of the pace was the fastest, as the Sweet Lou gelding Hellabalou — who hadn’t won since his Adios triumph at the end of July — looked as good in the eastern part of Pennsylvania as he did that day in western PA. He made the lead from the outside post eight before the :26.2 quarter, yielded to Komodo Beach and sat behind him as that one hung numbers of :54 and 1:22 on the board. Hellabalou then gobbled him up in the lane, leaving him 3-1/2 lengths behind in 1:49.4 for driver Simon Allard, trainer Josh Green, and owner Eric Good. Hellabalou was the only non-favorite to win in stakes action Friday, being sent off at 11-10 behind Komodo Beach at even money.
The Southwind Frank colt Capstone had earned $107,664 without winning in 2021 before capturing the faster of the two trotting Liberty Bell cuts in a lifetime best of 1:54. George Napolitano Jr. sent the Åke Svanstedt trainee to command past a :28 quarter, got a rest to a :57.4 half, then was clear of his opposition through the 1:25.3 three-quarters and right to the finish. Capstone won by 5-3/4 lengths for Åke Svanstedt Inc. and Stable Why Not.
The Father Patrick colt Sunny Crockett set fractions of :28.1, :57.4, and 1:26.4 in the other division, but he then had to be at his best to have a nose advantage over potential pocket rocket Arnold N Dicky at the end of a 1:55 mile. Marcus Miller handled the sulky duty for trainer/aunt Julie Miller and the partnership of Willow Oak Ranch and Andy Miller Stable Inc., to give the sophomore his 13th from 24 lifetime starts.
A pair of $13,000 paces for the fast-class set headline the Sunday card at Harrah’s Philly; bettors will also be attracted to the $6,673.37 carryover available for the third race Pentafecta/Super Hi-5 wager. Program pages will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)