The Explosive Matter gelding Scirocco Rob was pointed to the front of the pack by David Miller in the $18,000 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, and the winner of $324,173 never looked back in a 1:53.1 victory.
Showing a recent win in this class and sent off as the 4-5 favourite, Scirocco Rob was parked most of the :27.3 first quarter to get the lead, then got to the half in :56. Thisguyisonfire came uncovered from fifth at the midpoint, posing a tough challenge to the leader before the 1:24.3 three-quarters and battling with him all the way home, but Scirocco Rob withstood his pesky rival by a half-length. The winner is trained by Mark Silva for owners Kathleen and Lewis Whitaker, Jr.
Yannick Gingras had sulky honours on the day with four victories, three of them on the lead and one first-over. In fact, those were the only two positions that yielded winning trips at Philly Thursday except the first race, where Cuz Im Rockin came out of the pocket for Allan Davis and grabbed the victory – at a $128.40 win price.
Pennsylvania-sired action for three-year-old trotters tomorrow at Harrah’s features three divisions of the Sire Stakes and four sections of the Stallion Series. No one was able to win twice in the first two preliminary legs of the PaSS, but four of the six winners to date are gathered in the eleventh race division – Marseille, Explosivebreakaway, White Tiger and 2018 divisional champion Osterc.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)