The field is set for the 'Commodore Barry' Invitational for older pacers which will take place on a stakes-laden card Sunday, May 27 at Harrah's Philadelphia. The purse is $150,000.
Among the participants are 2017 Breeder's Crown winner Beckhams Z Tam. The four-year-old son of Always A Virgin closed sharply in his seasonal debut against Invitational competition at Hoosier Park. Trainer Jamie Macomber won multiple Post Time Awards, including Horsewoman of the Year. Beckhams Z Tam won the Upset of the Year Award for his surprise win in the Breeders Crown as a three-year-old.
There are two double millionaires confirmed as well in Mach It So and McWicked.
An eight-year-old gelding by Mach Three, Mach It So earned over $750,000 a year ago, with wins in the William Haughton Memorial and the TVG Series Championships. This season, he's won two of five George Morton Levy Preliminaries, with a solid fourth-place finish in the final.
McWicked finished his 2017 campaign with a string of solid second-place finishes in the Breeders Crown eliminations and final, and the TVG Series Championships to Mach It So. The Casie Coleman trainee is a former Pennsylvania State champion.
Trainer Ron Burke will be well represented with Sunday night's Confederation Cup champion Filibuster Hanover. The four-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere had a solid campaign at age three, which was topped by his win in the Little Brown Jug over Fear The Dragon and Downbytheseaside.
The final of the three four-year-olds in the event is Western Joe. The Chris Choate trainee, like Filibuster Hanover, won his elimination for the Confederation Cup at Flamboro and was second-placed-third in the final. Mostly quiet as a three-year-old, Western Joe has come into his own at age four, winning sevem races and just under $100,000.
The field also includes the always dangerous Rockeyed Optimist. The well-managed sevem-year-old gelded son of Rocknroll Hanover paced one of the fastest miles (1:48.3) here last season, and is riding a solid form cycle with a win and a near-miss against multiple stakes winner Rockin Ron in his last two races.
The final two confirmed for the 'Barry' include Stateside newcomer Heaven Rocks A and the red-hot Rodeo Romeo. Heaven Rocks A is a six-year-old Australian-bred, who is most noted for competing against superstar pacers Lennytheshark and Lazarus. His North American debut occurred at Harrah's Philadelphia, where he came up a nose short against Rodeo Romeo in a swift 1:49.4. Rodeo Romeo has won four of his last five races against top invitational competition, with each of those wins going in 1:50 or faster.
The allstar card will also feature the $150,000 Maxie Lee for trotters and the $150,000 Betsy Ross for mare pacers.
The Great Northeast Pacing and Trotting Series will also continue on that Sunday with three events. One for male pacers, one for female pacers, and another for trotters. Those races will go for a purse of $30,000 each.
The card will also include Pennsylvania Sire Stakes races for three-year-old filly trotters and pacers, and a non-winners of $10,000 in their last five starts contested at the special distance of five-eighths of a mile.
The draw for the Betsy Ross, Maxie Lee, and the Commodore Barry will be shown live via Post Time with Mike and Mike's Facebook page on Tuesday (May 22) at approximately 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
Reservations are now being accepted for the Riverview Terrace for Sunday, May 27. Please call (484) 490-2222 or (610) 874-5200. Post Time is 12:40 p.m. Eastern Time.
(With files from Harrah's Philadelphia)