Backseat Terror wins fifth straight

CHESTER PA – Backseat Terror was a front-end winner for her fifth consecutive harness racing victory in the $17,000 featured pace for distaffs on Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, but she was all-out to hold off Rob Them Blind by a head in 1:51.4.

Hurrikane Shorty took the field to the first station in :26.4, with driver Corey Callahan on the move with Backseat Terror, the daughter of Western Terror establishing command long before the :55.4 half. Favored (by $11 over the winner) Newsday applied strong pressure on the winner to the 1:23.1 three-quarters, with more horses joining the battle in the stretch.

Rob Them Blind had gapped slightly in second-over but now found her best strides and made the leader do her best work, and Backseat Terror did hold off that rival to the wire. Hurrikane Shorty was third, Cardiff fourth up the inside, and even Newsday was beaten only a length in fifth. Backseat Terror, winless at two and three, now has seven victories and $76,386 amassed already this year for trainer Katricia Adams and owner John Bernard.

Friday co-features were a pair of $16,000 trots. In the first, the Trixton sophomore filly Starita, third in her New Jersey Sire Stake final,  followed the cover of Navarone Hanover late on the backstretch, then trotted up to that one in the stretch and despite 29 days off was able to pass her by a half length. The time of 1:53.4 was a new mark for the Joe Holloway trainee, driven by David Miller for owners Val D’Or Farms and Ted Gewertz. Miller will be joined by Holloway and Gewertz in the sport’s Hall of Fame a week from Sunday.

In the other subfeature section, the Muscle Massive gelding Massive Opulence, on his best behavior today, came first-over, trotted past favored pacesetter Boxing Gloves and drew clear of that rival by 2 ¼ lengths in 1:55.2. Steve Smith was in the sulky for trainer Bill Mac Kenzie and owners Scott Woogen and Brenda Messenger.

PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia