Four $12,600 features races at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon were split evenly between male pacers and trotters.
Always B Sweet, a Pennsylvania Stallion Series winner earlier, defeated Curbside Pickup and favoured PaSS winner Literl Lad Hanover in a 1:50.1 section of the features for pacing males. The Always B Miki gelding, even coming off a sick scratch, was just too much to overhaul, posting fractions of :27, :56.1, and 1:23 before crossing the wire and knocking more than a full second off his lifetime mark. Curbside Pickup was a neck ahead of Literl Lad Hanover but 4-1/4 lengths behind the winner, who was guided by Andrew McCarthy for Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom and owner John.
On the heels of a seasonal best 1:50.1 score last week, Richard and Joanne Young s Best In Show ($11.40) swept from last for a 1:49.4 win in one of Sunday s (July 4) co-featured $13,000 paces at Harrah s Philadelphia.
The 5-year-old Bettors Delight entire sat patiently off the pace while 8-5 favourite Fortify set stern middle fractions of :54 and 1:21.1. But the pace took its toll, and Best In Show vaulted off the live three-wide cover of runner-up Seriously Hanover to win by a widening 2 1/2 lengths. Fortify was a beaten third.
Pat Berry drove Best In Show, who has earned $632,247 in his career, to his eighth career win for trainer Linda Toscano.
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Shecandance N was rolling fastest of all late, just catching favoured Crazy Cute to win the $13,000 featured distaff pace during the Sunday (June 27) card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Cavairt Cherie was first to the lead, yielding to April Ava before the :27 quarter, and then the latter gave up the lead to Crazy Cute in front of the stands, with the chalk posting middle fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.3. It looked like Crazy Cute’s toughest stretch opposition was going to come from her left with both April Ava and Caviart Cherie mounting bids in the Pocono Pike , but driver Marcus Miller and Shecandance N far back most of the way and widest of the main challengers streaked by right on the money for a nose decision. April Ava was third, another neck back, with Caviart Cherie fourth while beaten only three-quarter lengths for it all.
On a Saturday afternoon that wasn’t very hospitable to front-end speed or very fast times, Hickfromfrenchlick defied both “norms” by taking the afternoon s pacing feature at Pocono while ahead every step of the mile.
Driver Mark MacDonald had the son of So Surreal firing away out of the gate from the rail and caused a “lineup” in the field of five, with favoured J M Mandamin right on his back through fractions of :26.4, :56, and 1:22.3. JM Mandamin dipped down to the Pocono Pike and gained some ground, but Hickfromfrenchlick dug down deep when challenged and maintained a head advantage to the wire in 1:49.4, going his last half in :53.4.