The Huntsville sophomore filly Southwind Bella, a three-quarter sister to 2019 Little Brown Jug champion Southwind Ozzi, showed the family talent and speed when she lowered her mark to 1:50.2 in the featured $14,400 distaff pace on Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Todd McCarthy left other foes argue a :27.1 opening quarter, then moved his filly to the lead and passed the middle timers in :55.1 and 1:22.4. Southwind Bella had plenty left in the tank to come home in :27.3 and maintained a 1-3/4-length lead over Romantic Evening for trainer Brett Pelling and owner Thaddeus Wier.
The meet’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, posted four victories for the second consecutive day. What was unusual about this quartet for Tetrick is that they included the two longest-priced winners on the card: Hungry Lizzo ($37.20) and Allrighty Then ($27.80), who together paid more than the other 12 winners combined on the generally-chalky day at Philly.
On Friday at 12:25 p.m., Philly will be offering two excellent $20,000 Open Paces: a very competitive field of swift mares and a handicap event for males that pits Ruthless Hanover and South Beach Star, the two dominant pacers in eastern Pennsylvania over the last few weeks.
(PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia)