A trio of $11,200 events for developing younger horses, two on the trot and one on the pace, topped the action on Friday (November 6) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
In the faster of the two sections of the featured trot, the newcomer Stravinsky made short work of his opposition, flying home in :56.2, with a :28 final quarter for an easy 1:55.2 victory, 1-1/4 lengths ahead of favoured Romanee Blue Chip. Andrew McCarthy, top driver of the afternoon with four victories, handled the impressive sophomore Sebastian K S gelding for trainer Andrew Harris and owners Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin of St. Catharines, Ont.
The Italian/Swedish-bred Fly Eagle Fly showed the endurance of a Continental horse, parked outside the entire mile, in taking the other trotting sector in 1:57.1. The sophomore son of Bold Eagle was denied both the lead and the pocket in the second quarter, continued pressing the rest of the way, and got up by a neck over pacesetting Khedive, who had insisted on setting the pace. Corey Callahan kept the three-year-old going to record his lifetime best clocking for trainer Linda Toscano and owner Richard Gutnick.
On the pace, the Sweet Lou sophomore ridgling Rockin The Blaze enjoyed a lowering from a basic diet of stakes competition, working his way to the lead in front of the grandstand and looking in charge thereafter while taking a new mark of 1:52. Full Send, from the pocket, got to within three-quarters of a length behind the winner, who was driven by Andrew McCarthy for trainer Eddie Dennis and owner Eric Good.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)