The southeastern side won a Philadelphia version of the Battle of the Tasman Sea in the $14,500 featured pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, as Decoy, driven by New Zealander Dexter Dunn, spoiled the North American debut of favoured Senor Macray A while posting a 1:51 clocking.
Caviart Skyler took the early lead, with Decoy in second, the latter moving frontward near the :26.4 quarter. The victorious son of Somebeachsomewhere got a breather to a half in :55.4, then came home strongly in :55.1 to withstand second-over Imstaynalive by three-quarters of a length, with first-over Machiatto A holding third over his countrymate Senor Macray A.
Gary Candell trains the winner of $144,738, a winner of two in a row after competing in the Graduate Series earlier this year, for owners Brixton Medical Inc., R A W Equine Inc., and Joe Sbrocco. For driver Dunn, the feature win was the second in a consecutive quadruple; leading driver Tim Tetrick would also come home first four times
There were a pair of $14,000 co-featured paces for developing horses. In the first, the Sportswriter sophomore gelding Beatingtheodds, who began his career on February 28 and came to Philly from Ontario via Yonkers, ran his lifetime tally to 6-3-2-0 while taking a new mark of 1:52.2 in his local bow. Tim Tetrick put the youngster on the lead, then scooted home with him in :54.4 to hold off the first-over bid of Stand By Me N, certainly not disgraced in defeat, by a length for trainer Josh Green and the partnership of Richard Lombardo and Green Racing Inc.
In the other co-featured pace, another sophomore altered son of Sportswriter was victorious, as Heisman Player, who had raced locally twice before going to Woodbine for a start, was refreshed by the change of scenery and went wire-to-wire for driver David Miller, like his co-feature mate taking a new speed badge of 1:52.2. The Rick Zeron trainee, 5-1/2 lengths clear at the finish, is owned by Rick Zeron Stables, Howard Taylor, James Walker, and Noblock Racing Stable.
Tiger Thompson N, who had a first and a second in the Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) before getting zizzled in an early battle in the Commodore Barry Pace this past Sunday, should have an easier early time of it this Sunday when he starts from post three in a $30,000 GNOS open pace event. Dexter Dunn will guide his “countryman,” who is second in his divisional GNOS standings presently to Rodeo Rock, but would build a good lead with a good finish here as rival Rodeo Rock is not entered.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)