South Beach Star parlayed a perfect pocket journey into a 1:49 victory in the $20,548 fast-class handicap pace on Sunday afternoon, June 16 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Boiling Oar (Tim Tetrick, post six) and South Beach Star (David Miller, post seven) both boiled away once the gate sprung, and when the U.S. Hall Of Famer on the inside asked his horse for a little more mid-first turn, the U.S. Hall Of Famer on the outside recognized he was to have a two-hole trip and backed his horse off. Boiling Oil sizzled to fractions of :25.4, :53.4 and 1:21, with favoured Maximus Miki getting into the big battle before the three-quarters.
In the stretch, Miller dipped the victorious altered son of Somebeachsomewhere to the inside and he produced the most pace late. Maximus Miki held well for second, a length behind the winner and a neck ahead of closing Grand Cayman, who got the show dough ahead of Boiling Oar in a photo.
After losing by a neck in his 2024 bow, South Beach Star has been perfect in four starts, including a win in the Senditin Invitational on Harrah’s Super Sunday. Mark Silva trains the winner of $461,803 for All Star Racing Inc.
An $15,069 fast-class sub-feature pace went to the Bettors Delight gelding Arden Messi N, who came his last half in :54.1 while rallying from mid-pack to win in 1:50.2 under Jack Pelling’s handling. Arden Messi N has now won half of his last six starts for trainer Andrew Harris, who is also co-owner with Bruce Areman.
There were a pair of $16,438 contests for developing horses. In the pacing contest, The Good Doctor showed no ill effects from a 20-day layoff, going right down the road in 1:50.1 with back half fractions of :54.4 and :27, while establishing a new mark. Johnathan Ahle drove the son of American Ideal for trainer Noel Daley and owner Morrison Racing Stables.
On the trot, the Walner gelding Mucho Loco landed in the three-hole after an alert start for driver Simon Allard, bided his time inside, then found room deep in the passing lane to edge out his competition while lowering his lifetime best to 1:55.2. Mark Akins trains the winner of two of his last three for A 1 Racing. Allard had four winners on the afternoon to lead all drivers, with two wins coming for Akins, the only trainer to have multiple wins.
Joe Lee and Bruce Baker both vaulted into the race late to win their respective $10,274 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) events. In the pace, Lee surged into tired seas and sailed to a 1:55.3 win behind Select Friday, a six -year-old gelding by Rockin Image, trained by Michael Posner for owner Chad Colasanti. Baker capitalized in the trot to reap the ashes of an overzealous pacesetter with Love This Bar to score a 1:59 win. Robert Ginsburg Jr. trains Love This Bar, a six-year-old gelding by Bar Hopping, for owner James Craparotta.
Harrah’s continues its schedule of Thursday and Friday racing at 12:25 p.m., and Sunday action at 12:40 p.m. There will be a carryover into the fifth race Pick-5 on Thursday. AHDC action is scheduled for next Sunday.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia & AHDC)