Top free-for-allers will invade the Delaware Valley this Sunday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, as the sixth edition of both the Betsy Ross Mare Pace and the Maxie Lee Open Trot, both events offering bounties of $250,000, will take center stage.
Betsy Ross, a Philadelphian, is, of course, regarded as one of the 'early mothers of the United States' for making an American flag for General George Washington. Maxie Lee, one of the first and one of the most successful African-American trainers, can certainly be cited as an educational 'father' to many horsemen of that area, including Richard Gutnick, who learned his 'horse-caring' skills with Lee, and then went on to confirm another set of horsemanship skills when his Chapter Seven won the race named in honour of his friend last year.
Chapter Seven is of course not back to defend his Lee title, but the Kiwi pacing mare Royal Cee Cee N is. The daughter of Christian Cullen, owned and trained by Mark Harder, sat last through the first three quarters of the race last year behind the 1:20 speed of Put On A Show. Royal Cee Cee N gradually reeled the field in during the last quarter to score at post time odds of 9-1. Ron Pierce, who gave 'Cee Cee' the necessary patient drive last year, will again try to help Royal Cee Cee N overcome her second straight Betsy Ross Post 8 draw (though she benefitted from one scratch last year).
Anndrovette did overcome the eight-hole in a sharp prep for the Betsy Ross at Philadelphia recently, and has drawn Post 5 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer P.J. Fraley. Also sure to draw much attention are Feeling You, the Blue Chip Matchmaker winner (Post 7, driver Tyler Butler) and Economy Terror (Post 1, Matt Kakaley), as those two finished in that order in a very close contest last Sunday night at Pocono Downs.
Speaking of tight photos, three of the four horses involved in the blanket finish of the Cutler final at the Meadowlands Racetrack last Saturday ship down to Harrah’s Philadelphia to contest the Maxie Lee Trot. Sevruga, with usual speed tactics, won that race for the 'Orange Crush' Miller-Miller team, and has drawn Post 7, but he should be used to that sort of thing by now, having been from Post 6 outward in his last nine starts, dating back to March 1.
Wishing Stone, a nose back as a 'dead-heat second' last week, will make his presence felt from Post 5 for the dynamite Gingras/Burke combination, while the other major Cutler shipper, Modern Family, who finished fourth by a nose last week, must try to solve Post 8 for trainer Daryl Bier and driver Tim Tetrick. The fourth member of the photogenic Cutler quartet, Guccio, will not go to Chester, but he’ll have a more-than-adequate 'replacement' representing the Jimmy Takter barn in Uncle Peter, who will begin from Post 2 for driver David Miller.
The first of the 14 races on Sunday at Harrah’s is 12:40 p.m.; the Betsy Ross is Race 10, while Maxie Lee is Race 12.
(With files from the PHRC)