Lous Pearlman made short work of a talented field in the $16,200 featured handicap pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday (Oct. 7), winning off by himself in 1:49.1 to lift his lifetime earnings to $858,900.
Lyons Steel was assigned to the outside post five on the basis of three straight wins at the riverside oval, including two in the company, and indeed left quickly to take over before the eighth pole. But Lous Pearlman, the heavy favourite, was on the move before the quarter under the direction of Simon Allard to get command of the throttle. From there the only question would be the time: Lous Pearlman hit the half in :54.4, the three-quarters in 1:21.2 (leaving Lyons Steel behind at that point) and then to his final clocking, 4-1/4 lengths to the good. Lyons Steel held for second ahead of Rau Ru, who had sat the third-in trip.
This win was the 16th career victory in 45 starts for Lous Pearlman, a son of Sweet Lou and the 2021 Little Brown Jug winner, for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Elizabeth Novak, and Howard Taylor.
The $15,300 co-featured pace saw the Sportswriter gelding Southwind Sandor equal his mark of 1:50.4. Southwind Sandor was directed to the lead by George Napolitano Jr. past a :26.4, and rolled on to midsplits of :55.2 and 1:22.3. At the third station he was joined by P L Ozzy, the slight even-money favourite, and through the stretch those two battled hard with Southwind Sandor enjoying the advantage of 1-1/4 lengths at the wire for trainer Jeff Cullipher, co-owner with Pollack Racing LLC.
For the second straight day Simon Allard led all drivers at Philly, on Friday clicking four times; Allard has now climbed to second in the local sulky win standings behind runaway leader Tim Tetrick. Three of Allard’s wins came for trainer Ron Burke, who is also second in the local derby on the conditioners' side, narrowing the gap between Per Engblom and himself to 50-46 with the better part of three months of racing still left.
This Sunday’s card is topped by a pair of $13,000 claiming handicap paces, featuring competitive (and well-traveled through claiming activity) fields. A week from Sunday the John Simpson Sr. stakes series begins, with at least one division featured each day through the close of October’s local schedule. Program pages for all Philly races are or will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)