On a Sunday afternoon (July 31) at Harrah’s Philadelphia that was not kind to favourites, 11-1 shot Grand Cayman stayed in the day’s trend while winning the $16,200 featured pace on the card in 1:51.1.
Driver Jason Thompson got the altered son of Always B Miki away sharply, then yielded to Lyons Steel before the :26.4 quarter. Favoured Whitecookie moved outside in front of the stands to challenge, but he got the cold shoulder from the pacesetter from before the :55.3 half to past the 1:22.4 three-quarters, at which point he began to tire.
Thompson moved Grand Cayman two-wide at headstretch, collared Lyons Steel, then held off 26-1 shot Harambe Deo, who tried to shoot the inside; that one finished 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner and photoed out Lyons Steel for second. Crissy Crissman-Bier sent out her third winner of the day for owner Vincent Ferriero Jr.
Fastest miles of the day came in a pair of 1:50 efforts. The first occurred in the very first race of the day, with P L Ozzy and Montrell Teague following the cover of favoured Covered Bridge, then reeling in that foe by a neck in 1:50. P L Ozzy, a son of Sunshine Beach, won his second straight for trainer Dylan Davis, co-owner with Michael Casalino Jr.
The American Ideal gelding Town Gossip was one of the few favourites all day to make the chalk players happy, brushing to the lead under the wire the first time and then drawing away in his 1:50 mile, 4-1/2 lengths clear of Rau Ru. Joe Bongiorno, who topped the drivers colony today with four sulky successes, drove the winner of $467,819 for trainer/sister Jennifer and owner Robert Weinstein.
Harrah’s next racing action will be on Wednesday at 12:25 p.m. There will be a $5,081.49 carryover for the Pick-5 wager on races five through nine and also a $3,678.25 carryover into the Pick-4 bet on the first four races on the card.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)