Warrawee Ubeaut asserted herself against some of the heavy hitters in the distaff pacing division and This Is The Plan held his ground amid late pressure, giving trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras a sweep of the twin $20,000 winners-over pacing features on Sunday (Aug. 2) at Harrah's Philadelphia.
After making her presence felt but ultimately struggling on two occasions against male competition in the Graduate Series, Warrawee Ubeaut sprang back to life with a sharp 1:49.2 win in the distaff split.
Gingras sent the four-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou to the lead from post 4, and the pair traveled uncontested through splits of :26, :54.3 and 1:22.1 before opening her lead on the final turn. Despite late pursuit from 3-10 favourite Soho Burning Love A—the highly-regarded stablemate of champion Shartin N—Warrawee Ubeaut maintained her clearance up to the winning post, sprinting home in :27.1 with much in reserve to win by one-and-a-half lengths. Soho Burning Love A reached second over Machnhope, who only managed a one-paced finish from the pocket.
Warrawee Ubeaut recorded the 20th win of her career for the Burke Racing Stable, Phil Collura, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi. She paid $17.00 to win.
This Is The Plan employed similar front-pacing tactics for a 1:50 score in the male split after an even but traffic-troubled effort two weeks ago in the William Haughton Memorial.
The five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding used a :26.3 quarter to clear Turbo Hill. Gingras then rated a :56.1 middle half with This Is The Plan before facing a stern threat from Western Joe on the final turn. Not only did This Is The Plan parry the lasting challenge of Western Joe to the line, but he also staved off the inside bid of eventual runner-up Turbo Hill to prevail by a driven neck.
This Is The Plan, now an 11-time winner, campaigns for the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Larry Karr. He paid $4.20 to win.
Burke and Gingras additionally teamed up with Gingras Beach ($12.40, 1:52), and Burke went on to register his fourth training win on the 14-race program with The First Step ($13.40, 1:50.4), who was driven by George Brennan.
Favourites were upended in all four races in the Pick-4 sequence, resulting in a $3,175.65 dividend on a 50-cent base wager.
Racing returns to Harrah's Philadelphia with a 15-race card on Wednesday (Aug. 5), featuring two $103,000 divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, as well as a $17,367.57 carryover in the fifth-race Jackpot Hi-5. Post time is 12:25 p.m. (EDT).
(Harrah's Philadelphia)