South Beach Star has worked himself into top form early in the season, as he won the $15,300 featured pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon in 1:49.4, despite a sloppy track with a two-second variant.
David Miller kept the Somebeachsomewhere gelding just off active :27 early battling, then rushed his horse to the lead past favoured Duke Of Cornwall N en route to middle fractions of :54.4 and 1:22.2. In the stretch, the major contest turned out to be between these two, with South Beach Star able to withstand his rival’s late rally by a quarter of a length. Western Joe edged out Twin B Heart Throb for the show dough five lengths behind.
South Beach Star has now won three of his last four starts, and with this win, he boosted his career bankroll over the $200,000 mark. Mark Silva trains the winner for All Star Racing Inc.
The second-level pacing feature, which went for $14,400, provided a sharp winner in the Sweet Lou gelding Boston. He sat just behind Wine N Dine Me -- like Boston 4-5 in the betting (the latter had a few more dollars on him) -- then came on along the inside to leave the pacesetter behind by 1-3/4 lengths at the 1:52.1 finish for Team Bongiorno -- driver Joe and his sister, trainer Jenn -- and the partnership of Glenn Goller and Stephen Demeter.
Yall Beneath Me, a son of Googoo Gaagaa, added to his impressive lifetime win totals with a 1:53.3 engine victory in a $13,000 trot, overcoming the outermost starting slot. Driven by Johnathan Ahle for trainer/driver Richard Hans (the developer of Googoo Gaagaa), Yall Beneath Me has six wins in seven 2023 starts and 26 victories in but 40 lifetime trips behind the starting gate.
Tim Tetrick won the last race to emerge as the day’s leading driver with three victories.
Racing resumes at Harrah’s Philly at 12:25 p.m. on Thursday when there will be a guaranteed $15,000 Pick-5 pool for the wager to pick the winners in races five through nine, with a $3,928.39 carryover from the Sunday card. This week, there will also be a special live card on Saturday, Kentucky Derby Day, with the trotting and pacing horses first going to the gate at 12:40 p.m.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)