A pair of $16,000 conditioned events, one on each gait, were featured at the start of the racing week at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon (July 11), and the stakes-placed duo of Im A Big Deal and Scirocco Rob proved victorious in their respective events.
The pacers were up first, and their race was taken by the Somebeachsomewhere sophomore colt Im A Big Deal in 1:51.3. A Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner in 1:50.2 on May 19, Im A Big Deal was sent right to the front by driver George Napolitano Jr. and held sway the rest of the way over a pesky No Easy Day. Im A Big Deal still had enough to tally by 1-1/4 lengths.
Chris Ryder trains Im A Big Deal, and he co-owns him with Craig Henderson and Robert Mondillo.
On the trotting side, Scirocco Rob, who finished third in the recent Beal consolation at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, enjoyed the downturn in opposition, posting a new mark of 1:53 for driver Corey Callahan and trainer John Butenschoen. The altered son of Explosive Matter, coming first-over, was resisted the length of a :27.3 third quarter by pacesetter Im Your Captain. But through the last quarter, the winner of $158,210 asserted his superiority, drawing clear by 6-1/2 lengths over Im Your Captain at the wire. Kathleen and Lewis Whitaker Jr. own the talented sophomore.
Leading driver Tim Tetrick continued his recent hot form, winning four races in the Wednesday afternoon sunshine.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)