Coming under pressure into the stretch, O'Brien Award winner Anndrovette broke stride, handing the Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace win to the repeating Royal Cee Cee N at Harrah's Philadelphia Friday afternoon
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Blue Chip Matchmaker Series runner-up and 6-5 favourite Anndrovette fired to command from the outside post six in the $35,000 feature race and set up shop on the front end with Tim Tetrick rating her through fractions of :26.4, :55.3, and 1:23.2.
Meanwhile, post five starter Royal Cee Cee N, the 3-1 third choice off a win in this class one week ago, advanced first over from fifth under the command of Ron Pierce.
Royal Cee Cee N move up to apply heavy pressure to Anndrovette into the stretch and the pacesetter made an uncharacteristic break in stride leaving her closest foe to collect the spoils. Royal Cee Cee N earned her fourth win in 11 seasonal starts in 1:51.1 by half a length over 40-1 shot Stacked Deck and Corey Callahan, who gapped the winner's cover down the backstretch before kicking home in 27.1. The pocket-sitting second choice, Higher And Higher and Daryl Bier, finished two lengths back in third.
Royal Cee Cee N paid $8.60 to win. Mark Harder trains and owns the six-year-old Christian Cullen-Royal Van mare, who has won 19 races and $442,412 in purses lifetime.