Heaven Needs Me, second in his first start of the year against the sharp Another C Note, went one better in the $18,493 featured conditioned pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday, April 19, rallying off cover on a track not known for being kind to closers to win in 1:53.4.
Simon Allard got away in mid-pack with the four-year-old Capt Midnight-Heavenly Bet gelding, then was able to work out a second-over trip behind Smooch In The Dark (Geovany Hernandez). That one grinded down pacesetting favourite Th Colby (Tim Tetrick), but then the eventual winner paced past his cover late for a one-length decision. Sonofabusinessman (Ridge Warren) was third. Chelsey Faurot owns, trains and bred Heaven Needs Me, who stepped his own last half in :56.1 on a day when the temperatures plummeted and did not reach 10 degrees. The win price was $11.80.
Allard then came back and captured the $17,808 conditioned pace with the 11-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven-Lyons Luck gelding Lyons Steel ($4) in 1:52. The veteran went past early leader Armada Hanover (Brandon Givens) in front of the stands the first time, and then the second time around he withstood the comeback of that rival by a half-length for trainer Jose Ramos and owner BD Racing LLC. Bettors Donttell (George Napolitano Jr.) completed the ticket. As “horses for courses” go, Lyons Steel and Harrah’s Philly fit like a hand in a glove. The greybeard is 27-for-94 lifetime at the southeast Pennsylvania oval, a win percentage of 28.7 per cent, whereas at other tracks he is at 21.2 per cent with a 39-for-184 record.
Allard completed a triple in the 14th-race finale with Solid Character ($8.40), who posted the fastest time of the day of 1:50.4. Along with Allard’s trio, drivers Tim Tetrick and Joe Bongiorno built on their strong Friday production with a super Sunday showing. Tetrick won four times Sunday, giving him eight for the week and a meet-leading 15 wins total (an average of three per card).
Bongiorno had a second straight driving-training triple to extend his lead in the conditioners' ranks with an amazing record at the meet of 10-7-3-0-.867. His winning trainees on the day were Ballroom Affair ($2.10), Curbside Pickup ($4.40) and Sneaky Squeaky ($2.10). He is 44-for-190 across all tracks this season. Burke and Faurot had training doubles.
Racing resumes at the southeast Pennsylvania oval on Thursday at 12:25 p.m., with a very competitive $13,000 USD fast-class trot topping the racing menu. The following Thursday, April 30, Philly will be dark because it will host a special Saturday 12:40 p.m. card on Kentucky Derby Day, May 2.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)