Robbie Pev followed a solid cover flow, was left uncovered on the far turn, then was along to take a 1:54.3 victory in the $16,200 featured fast-class handicap trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a sunny Friday afternoon (Dec. 9).
Favoured Fast As The Wind secured the lead in front of the stands in front of P L Notsonice, but then the pocketsitter popped back out early in the backstretch and cleared to the lead, with Mystical Wynn, who was racing off her cover, ducking into the pocket at the three-quarters. The Bar Hopping gelding Robbie Pev, guided by David Miller, was in the flow behind these two, but dug in hard through the lane to defeat P L Notsonice by a neck, with Mystical Wynn another half-length off in third. Jill Roland trains the winner, who has seasonal earnings of $107,059 and a lifetime bankroll of $189,566, for owner Bernard O’Brien.
Driver Troy Beyer added to his best statistical year ever, getting Beer Cheese home a neck ahead of A Perfect Helen to capture the $14,400 co-featured trot in 1:57.1 for trainer Robert Baggitt Jr. and owners Christine Baggitt and Kenneth Frieder. Beyer is eighth in the standings at Philly, with 94 victories and almost $1.1 million in earnings starting the day, and he has 138 wins and $1.5 million in all of his 2022 driving. Beyer, who recently guided two $100+ shots on the same card, added his eighth $50+ tally with the overlooked $77.60 winner to lead the local colony in that stat.
Simon Allard had four victories to lead all drivers while Troy Beyer and David Miller came home first three times. Robert Baggitt Jr. and Jacob Hartline both harnessed a pair of winners.
Racing at Philly will resume on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. with a 15-race card; in the $22,500 10th race featured fast-class handicap pace, Pat McGarry A has been established as the early favourite at 3-1; rated at 7-2 are Colossal Stride A, starting to his left, and Lous Sweetrevenge, starting to his right. There will be a $2,341.13 carryover into the first four races’ Pick-4 wager. Program pages for all Philly cards will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)