Brett Miller, a winner in four of the card's first eight races, made the early lead with the daughter of Shadow Play, then yielded to Juslikeaqueen and was content to draft in behind through fractions of 26.3, 55.4, and 1:23.1.
Turning for home driver Miller tugged on the left line, and Skippin By went to the passing lane and powered by easily for a two length tally over the pacesetter. Nick Surick conditions the winner of $813,784 for Cornerstock Stock Farm.
A horse named after a phrase in the famous soliloquy of Shakespeare's Hamlet (III, i, 3) made more than a few Philly bettors melancholy as Outrageous Fortune, with only one third in 15 previous career starts, came up the inside for Eric Carlson to generate a $102.80 win payoff in the fourth race.
Among the beaten field was Quantum Kemp, the full brother to Hambletonian winner Trixton who got going belatedly and finished fourth though beaten only a half-length. Philly has now had seven horses pay $50 or more at the meet – but four of that seven have rung up the mutuels to the tune of $100 or more.
Brett Miller ended the day with five winners to Corey Callahan's four triumphs.
FINISHING LINES – Harrah's Philadelphia will have a special live card on Belmont Saturday at 12:40, and while much of the racing world awaits whether Justify can stretch out over that race's demanding 1½ miles, the emphasis at Philly will go in the other direction – there is a 5/8 mile dash for trotters carded, with an eye towards the 1:09 world record for the short distance set at Pompano.
From the PHHA/Chester's Philadelphia