White Belly stepped home smartly to score a 1:52.4 win in the pacing division of the two $12,600 features at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon (June 4), while Colonial AS IT recorded his third straight victory with a 1:55.3 score in the trotting section.
Todd McCarthy sent White Belly to the lead in front of the stands, then was a passenger as the Sweet Lou gelding blitzed home in :54.4 to leave Beach Party 2-1/4 lengths in his wake. The recent acquisition for trainer Scott DiDomenico took a new mark for Triple D Stables Inc., Minisink Farms LLC, and Stephen Iaquinta.
The Readly Express sophomore colt Colonial AS IT made short work of a short field of five in the trotting feature, which was effectively reduced to an even shorter four when second choice College Tuition went off stride at the start. The amount of competition had no effect at all on Colonial AS IT, who went right to command and came home in :57.2 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Per Engblom, and Buckstone Land Livestock.
The $11,200 top event for fast-class pacers went to the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Somebaddude, who, despite enduring a first-over grind, stayed strong in the stretch to win in 1:51.2. Simon Allard drove the winner of $287,662 for trainer Jason Johnson and owner Joshua Jay Graber.
Simon Allard won four races and Yannick Gingras three, with Daniel Dubé also recording a tally.
Sunday’s (June 6) card at Harrah's Philadelphia features two $22,500 handicap paces. The mares division finds early-season star Machnhope and the consistent Lyons Sentinel in the two outermost starting slots, while the contest for males sees San Domino A starting from post seven after a 1:49.3 triumph at Harrah’s in his last start. Post time is 12:40 p.m.; program pages will be available on the PHHA website.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)