Sweet Odds breaks run of “seconditis”

CHESTER PA – Sweet Odds finally broke her run of “seconditis” with a 1:52.3 lifetime best in the $12,000 co-feature for pacing females on Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, while on the trotting side of the featured harness racing events Theobald came wide off lively cover to take the decision in 1:55.4.

SWEET ODDS REPLAY

The Sweet Lou sophomore filly Sweet Odds had finished second six straight times, for times by a length or less, yet the public still backed her to the tune of 1-5, and the chalk repaid the confidence, leading through fractions of :27.3, :56.4, and 1:25 before adding on a :27.3 kicker to be 2¼ lengths clear at the finish for driver Simon Allard, trainer Per Engblom, and Morrison Racing Stables.

The three-year-old Six Pack gelding Theobald, the second choice, followed the cover of favored Flight Of Fritz, but for a large part of the race it didn’t look like anyone was going to reach 8-1 pacesetter Raondover as the one put up fractions of :28, :57.3, and 1:26.1. But the outer tiers horses kept digging, and it was Theobald who had the most late, a length ahead of Roandover, who in turn saved second by a neck over Flight Of Fritz. Theobald was driven by Corey Callahan for trainer Christopher Freck, and Stormi And Bruiser Stable. The drivers of the featured winners, Allard and Callahan, visited Victory Lane three times each to tie for top honors in that category.

In an $11,000 handicap pace for fast-class females, another daughter of Sweet Lou got the glory, as Absolute Power won in 1:52 for driver Andy Miller and Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom and owner-brother John. Absolute Power raced in front with fractions of :26.4, :55.1, and 1:23.3 as wave after wave of wide challengers couldn’t reach; in the ned it was favored Miss Chantilly N, third-in most of the way, who proved the biggest threat coming up the inside, but Absolute Power had enough power left to score a half-length decision.

ABSOLUTE POWER REPLAY

Sunday’s 12:40 card is highlighted by $177,378 of stakes action, as the two-year-old trotting males will go in their fourth and final preliminary of their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series groups. The $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships for two-year-olds (with $50,000 consolations if filling) will be held at Philly during a $1.4M+ card on Friday, September 5. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia