Driver Tim Tetrick was at the top of his game on Tuesday morning (April 9) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, as he recorded five wins over the course of the ten-dash session, including a sweep with four quality-proven performers.
Donttellmeagain – who was as good as the best Free For All pacers when at his best last year – won his second consecutive 2019 qualifier, this one in 1:51.4. The Jim King Jr. trainee, an altered son of Dragon Again, moved out of the pocket down the backstretch and covered each of the last two panels in :27.1 to finish two and three-quarter lengths clear of Closing Statement. Caviart Ally, a consensus second-best in the 2018 aged mare ranks behind Shartin N, came from last to finish third via her own final quarter in :27.
Three-year-old stakes fillies that had had six-figure campaigns at two recorded some sharp miles in other dashes, all of which came under the guidance of the ‘Bionic Man.’ The So Surreal filly So Awesome, who finished just a nose shy in her New York Sire Stakes final last year, came home in :27.4 to win in 1:54.1 for Tetrick and trainer Scott DiDomenico. One race later, Tetrick and the King-trained ‘hometown horse,’ Rockn Philly, reported home first in 1:53.1.
Tetrick’s mastery also extended to the trotting fillies, as the Cantab Hall miss Magical Beliefs, who last year finished a neck shy in her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship, came out to win at first crack in 1:57.2 for Tetrick and trainer Linda Toscano.
(With files from the PHHA and Harrah’s Philadelphia)