The female pacers were in the spotlight on Friday, Aug. 29 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with two $16,667 conditioned events for developing distaffs, and a $15,278 conditioned contest for the established fast-class set.
The Lazarus N-Endowment sophomore filly Bequeath, a Kentucky invader with one recent start at Yonkers, took immediately to the Philly oval, winning the faster feature for up-and-coming fillies and mares in 1:53.1. Johnathan Ahle reserved the filly off a highly contested pace of :27.2 and :55.3 well past the half, and then with one decisive move approaching three-quarters in 1:22.3, she swept the field and left the opposition 5-1/2 lengths in her wake. Tall Dark Tequila (Simon Allard) got up for second over Pirate Princess (Eric Goodell). Trainer Andrew Harris co-owns the Bequeath ($10.40), now a three-time winner in 25 career starts, with Ray Lasky and Nathan Cockerham.
In the other division, the Papi Rob Hanover-Frame Worthy sophomore filly Wednesday Bluechip ($3.80) was stuck out almost to the :28.2 quarter as she went to command, rated the half in :58.3 and three-quarters in 1:26.1, then paced home strongly in control to post a 1:55 victory. She was 1-1/4 lengths to the good over Loot (George Napolitano Jr.), followed by Spicy Story (Ahle). Eric Goodell had the sulky seat behind the winning Robert Cleary trainee for Let It Ride Stables Inc. The filly is now two-for-11 lifetime.
In the fast-class distaff pace, the Heston Blue Chip-Bettor Be Steamin mare Pressure Cooker ($3.40) found herself under pressure on the front end in fast fractions of :26.2, :55, and 1:23.4, but the favourite was up to the challenge, winning by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:52. Misty Coast (Brandon Givens) edged out Miss Dottie Mae (Ahle) for second. George Napolitano Jr. guided the winner to her 12th tally in 40 lifetime starts. The four-year-old is trained by Linda Toscano for the ownership of Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, and Mac Nichol.
The top drivers of the day were Ahle and George Napolitano Jr., who each steered three winners.
Racing continues at Philly on Sunday at 12:40 p.m., and then next Thursday at 12:25 p.m. Next Friday, Sept. 5, Harrah’s Philadelphia will be host some of the best two-year-olds in North American harness racing, as the precocious babies contest $300,000 USD in each of their four sections of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships. Consolations and Open action for fast-class older horses will bring the total purse distribution on the day over $1.5 million USD. That card, also with a 12:25 p.m. start, will be drawn on Tuesday.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Pressure Cooker winning on Oct. 22, 2024)