Triple millionaire This Is The Plan put his class on display as the nine-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding took the $17,808 featured handicap pace on Sunday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Andrew McCarthy got the Ron Burke trainee to the top before a :26.4 quarter over “good” going, then continued to roll on the lead with mid-splits of :54.4 and 1:22.1, being joined via the uncovered route by 2024 debutant South Beach Star near the latter station. Those two tussled the length of the stretch, and the veteran showed heart to dig down for a neck victory in 1:49.4. Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby and Lawrence Karr have owned the evergreen pacer since February 2019.
The 2022 Breeders Crown champion, Ammo, made his first race of the year a success, taking an $15,068 fast-class sub-feature pace. Ammo, who paid $106 to win and defeated 2023 U.S. Horse of the Year Confederate in his crowning achievement, won Sunday out of the pocket in 1:50.4 by a half-length over Storm The Court, who had sat on his back, for a trio of U.S. Hall Of Famers: driver David Miller, trainer Joe Holloway and Ted Gewertz, the last-named co-owner with Val D’Or Farms.
In a $16,438 pace for up-and-coming horses, the Downbytheseaside gelding Twin B Seamonster took his yearly record to 4-3-1-0 by holding off hard-trying pocket-sitter Fig Newton by a neck in 1:52.4. Patrick Ryder was in the sulky for his father, trainer Chris Ryder, and owner Anthony Timmins.
Harrah’s Philadelphia is currently racing three days a week: Thursdays and Fridays at 12:25 p.m., and Sundays at 12:40 p.m.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)