Machnhope and Shnitzledosomethin proved toughest of all in their respective $22,500 Winners-Over pacing features on Sunday (June 6) at Harrah's Philadelphia, both upending favourites on their way to victory.
In the afternoon's featured event for fillies and mares, Blue Chip Matchmaker winner Machnhope made a sustained push to the fore, clearing Eclipse Me N just beyond a :26.2 first quarter. After Andy McCarthy rated the six-year-old daughter of Mach Three through a :55.2 midway breather, she dug in to fend off sustained outside pressure from Marloe Hanover up the backstretch and through the far turn. Not only did Machnhope have enough to parry eventual third-place finisher Marloe Hanover's bid, but she also kept a late charge from Eclipse Me N three-quarters of a length at bay to score in 1:50.1. Odds-on choice Lyons Sentinel only mustered a fourth-place finish after tracking live cover into the far turn.
Trainer Noel Daley shares ownership of Machnhope, now a 33-time winner with earnings north of $575,000, with Deo Volente Farms, Thomas Pontone and the L.A. Express Stable. She paid $5.80 to win.
The top event for male pacers saw even-money choice Ocean Rock and driver Tim Tetrick carve demanding fractions of :26, :54 and 1:20.3 with Shnitzledosomethin following his every step from the pocket. Dexter Dunn angled the six-year-old son of Fred And Ginger out at the top of the stretch, and he accelerated to the lead in mid-stretch, putting Ocean Rock away by three-quarters of a length in 1:48.4. Stone Hanover rallied off stalled cover to finish third.
Dylan Davis trains Shnitzledosomethin, a 26-time winner with a career bankroll of over $865,000, for Howard Taylor, Ed Gold, Abe Basen and Richard Lombardo. He paid $9.60 to win.
Racing returns to Harrah's Philadelphia on Wednesday (June 9). First-race post time is 12:25 p.m. (EDT).
(Harrah's Philadelphia)