For his entire day’s work at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday, June 21, driver Todd McCarthy had to face only three opponents – and he got the job done in the cameo performance, guiding Toast Of The Town to a new lifetime mark in the $19,014 conditioned handicap pacing feature for developing horses.
The 1-5 winner started from post one and the 8-5 second choice, Moneyhill Gb (Tim Tetrick) had post two, and they lined up in that order. McCarthy guided the sophomore right to the point with fractions of :28.1 and :57, then turned on the afterburners to a 1:24 three quarters. Moneyhill Gb stayed right with the winner, but with another :27 quarter home by Toast Of The Town, the pocket-sitter fell a neck shy in the 1:51 mile. Manwiththeplan (Art Stafford Jr.) was third.
Toast Of The Town, a son of Sweet Lou-New Year, is trained by Noel Daley for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Morrison Racing Stables, Jesmeral Stable and Alberg Racing LLC. The colt, a PA All-Stars winner in his seasonal debut, is two-for-four this campaign and four-for-14 lifetime. He paid $2.60 to win.
In a $16,901 pace for horses one rung below the feature horses, the Sweet Lou-Write Me A Song gelding Ghetto Loupastar ($2.60) won his second straight race while controlling the pace en route to a 1:52.1 victory. Scandalous Rumor (Ray Baynes) rode the pocket to be second, a half-length behind the in-control winner, with Stay Fresh (Mark Herschberger) just another neck off. Tim Tetrick guided the sophomore to the win for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phil Collura.
The Bettors Wish-Wheres Alice gelding Wish You Well ($2.40) continued his comeback up the ranks with a second triumph in succession, making every pole a winning one in the $18,310 conditioned handicap pace. He set the tempo in the 1:49.4 win, with Captain Crusader A (Tim Tetrick) closing off cover for second while photoing out first-up Back Pocket Miki (Simon Allard), that pair 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner. Corey Callahan had the steer for trainer Linda Toscano and owner Kovach Stables LLC.
Post-one starter Big Bang Bang ($7.40) put up a "picket fence line" – all 1s across – while equalling his mark of 1:50.1 in the $16,197 sub-featured fast-class conditioned pace. Perfect Wager (Art Stafford Jr.) came up a neck short of being a pocket rocket as Big Bang Bang got the job done. Major Hothooves N (Mark Herschberger) was third. Simon Allard piloted the winning eight-year-old son of Believeinbruiser-Shytown Lightning for trainer Darren Taneyhill and owner Carmen Iannacone.
Tim Tetrick and Simon Allard, first and second, respectively, in the driving win standings locally, were the only professional sulkysmiths to post two wins on the card. There was a driving triple, however – by amateur driver Yogi Sheridan, who captured three American Harness Drivers Club races, harnessing one winner himself and handling the other two for trainer Izzy Estrada.
The pari-mutuel racing at Harrah’s Philly resumes on “Trottin’ Thursday” with a 12:25 p.m. card. Ari Ferrari J, winner in the $22,222 Winners Over Handicap Trot last week, has been assigned to the far outside in the field of six in this week's $16,000 USD renewal.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Toast Of The Town in a qualifier in 2025)