Its Mesmerise N, a daughter of American Ideal who has finished no worse than second in her last five starts, took a new mark of 1:51.3 in winning the $11,600 featured pace for distaffs on Wednesday afternoon (August 19) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Andrew McCarthy positioned the winner of two of her last three starts behind pacesetting Vorst, who went on to cut the fractions in :27.4, :56.2, and 1:24. The winner was locked in nearing headstretch by first-over favourite Anytime N, so McCarthy directed Its Mesmerise N into the passing lane, and the pair came home in :27.2 to post a one-length decision over Vorst. Anytime N lasted for third. Darran Cassar trains Its Mesmerise N for Windermere Stable LLC.
Hall of Fame driver David Miller crept closer to yet another milestone in a career full of them, as he posted two wins on the day to raise his lifetime count to 12,998. Miller is fifth on the all-time victory list, and among active drivers trails only Dave Palone and Anthony Morgan (who had three winners on the card; the meet’s leading driver George Napolitano Jr. had four). On the lifetime earnings side, Miller-driven horses have amassed $244.5 million, second only to the retired John Campbell’s $299.9 million.
You’d think that a driver of Miller’s accomplishments wouldn’t be the leading producer of $50+ longshot winners at a track, but when Miller clicked with Needless To Say at $68.40 in the second race, he became the first driver to post two 'bomber' victories at the track this year. Miller also notched the first big-price winner of the 2020 season at 'Philly,' while Needless To Say’s trainer, Bill 'Moon' Mullin, was the first to hang a huge win mutuel up at Pocono at the start of this year.
Three-year-old pacing fillies will look to secure their spots in their championship events at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday, as the track will host two $93,142 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions and five $20,000 sections of the Stallion Series in their final preliminary legs. The top pointearners in the sire stakes will be back at Philly on Sunday, September 6 as part of the $1.2 million Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Three-Year-Old Championship card.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)