Daryl Bier, Glenn Del Russo, and Charlie Dombeck's Higher And Higher stalked a vicious pace before pouncing on the far turn to prevail in the $40,000 second leg of the Betsy Ross for distaff pacers on Sunday at Harrah's Chester
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The four-year-old daughter of Western Terror settled into mid-field on the first turn before tracking a cut-throat duel between Laughandbehappy (George Napolitano) and Tomorrowpan (Daniel Dubé) from third-over. About 3-1/2 lengths off a :54.1 half mile and a 1:22.1 three-quarter split, trainer-driver Daryl Bier moved Higher And Higher three-wide to follow the cover of Ginger and Fred, fanning four-wide at the head of the stretch and sustaining her bid throughout. Her patented stretch kick pushed her to the front with 70 yards to go, and she prevailed by a length in 1:50.2 over Omen Hanover (Jim Pantaleano), who benefitted from a pocket trip. Laughandbehappy was a worn down third.
The $100,000 Betsy Ross final will be held Sunday, May 29, with the first preliminary leg of the Maxie Lee Memorial Trot on the undercard.
Sunday's co-featured $70,000 Open Handicap Pace saw Shannon DePinto, Earl Smith, and Jerry Silva's We Will See record the season's fastest mile to date at Harrah's Chester, kicking clear to a 7-1/4 length victory over Kiss My Art and Transcending in 1:48.4. Ron Pierce was in the bike for trainer Sam DePinto.
(Harrah’s Chester)