Test Of Faith, reigning U.S Horse of the Year, won her four-year-old qualifying debut on Tuesday morning (April 19) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
With regular reinsman David Miller in the sulky, the Brett Pelling trainee followed loosely in the pocket early through fractions of :30.1, :59.4 and 1:28.3 before kicking home up the pylons in :28.4 to win the morning's final qualifier in 1:57.3 by a quarter-length over Virgo and High Minded. She Knows It All finished 1-1/2 lengths behind in the quartet after setting the pace.
The daughter of Art Major and Cannae Cammie won 14 of her 16 starts and earned more than $1 million during her award-winning sophomore campaign in 2021 for owners Melvin Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Eddie Gran. Among her multiple Grand Circuit stakes highlights, Test Of Faith took her mark of 1:48.3 in the Glen Garnsey Memorial at The Red Mile and won the Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands.
Pelling has indicated she is scheduled to make her first start in the Graduate Series on Saturday, May 7.
Pelling stable stars When Dovescry and Treacherous Dragon were also in action during Tuesday's qualifying session.
Millionaire trotting mare When Dovescry, winner of last year's Armbro Flight Stakes and TVG Mares Trot, stepped out for the first qualifier of her six-year-old season, following in third well behind male trotters Swan In Motion and Meladys Monet, who were heads apart at the finish in a 1:55.3 mile -- fastest trot of the morning. The Dylan Davis-trained Swan In Motion held on by a neck after leading through fractions of :28.4, :58.1 and 1:26.2 with Corey Callahan in the sulky.
Treacherous Dragon, who ended her two-year-old season with top three finishes in the Breeders Crown, Kindergarten Classic and Three Diamonds, finished second in her qualifier behind the Julie Miller-trained maiden sophomore colt Born To Be Country, who romped to a 7-1/4-length score in 1:56 flat with Andy Miller aboard.