Flawless performance from Flawless at Philly

CHESTER, PA – Flawless (Captaintreacherous) remained flawless after three 2024 harness racing starts, winning the $13,500 featured pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia Friday afternoon (May 24) in 1:52.

Andrew McCarthy moved past the :28.2 quarter with the sophomore filly and saw her pace her last three-quarters in 1:23 flat, posting middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:24.4 over a very quick Philly oval.

She then stormed home in :27.1 to complete the mile three-quarters of a length over the hard-trying pocketsitter Hunting Hula, with Ginger Tree Liz just another length back after moving out and up from late on the backstretch.

Flawless was the Kentucky Commonwealth final winner in 2023, and now has a bankroll of $133,289 for trainer Nancy Takter and owners Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.

FLAWLESS REPLAY

Sweet Lexi Lou (Sweet Lou) lowered her mark to 1:51.1, rallying strongly in the last eighth to catch first-over Ginger Tree Belle by a half-length in a $12,000 co-featured pace. Troy Beyer guided the three-year-old filly, now successful in three of her last five starts, for trainer Chris Freck and owner Anthony Olswfski.

SWEET LEXI LOU REPLAY

Shrimp And Grits (Shadow Play) had lost 23 races in a row before turning it around for red-hot trainer Izzy Estrada, with the gelding winning for the eighth time in his last nine starts in 1:52.1. David Miller sent the former $7500 claimer, now carrying a tag of $20,000, to the front in an $11,000 claiming handicap pace, then held off pocketsitting principal challenger Twin B Fighter by a neck for Estrada Racing.

SHRIMP AND GRITS REPLAY

Corey Callahan topped the sulky colony with three victories.

This Sunday is “Super Sunday” at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with a star-studded card of 16 races starting at 12:40. There are three $100,000 Invitationals – the Maxie Lee Memorial for trotters, the Joseph Auger Memorial for pacers, and the Betsy Ross for female pacers – along with many of the sport’s “glamour division,” the three-year-old pacing males, gathering for Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action.

Last year conditions were ideal, and several lines were altered in the record books, including Ruthless Hanover’s 1:46.3 world record win – this card has the kind of horses that could do more rewriting of records given good weather. Free Harrah’s Philly programs are available at www.phha.org.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia