Harrah's Philadelphia: Top 3-year-olds prepare for stakes with qualifying wins

The 2-year-olds were out in force during a Tuesday morning qualifying session at Harrah's Philadelphia, but a pair of impressive 3-year-olds showed them what they may eventually be aiming for.

Test Of Faith, the 3-year-old Art Major filly who was the fastest 2-year-old in 2020 with a 1:48 4/5 mile, was a handy winner here in 1:56 1/5, coming home in 27 4/5 for driver David Miller, trainer Brett Pelling, and owners Melvin Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Eddie Gran. A winner of eight of nine as a freshman (her only loss a second after suffering an "ix"), Test Of Faith won her only start in 2021 with an impressive 1:52 1/5 clocking at Saratoga.

Another top Pelling 3-year-old is Whichwaytothebeach, winner of all four 2021 starts including two PA Stallion Series races and a Reynolds cut, who came home in 55 4/5 - 27 1/5 for a 1:54 mile. A three-quarter brother to the fast Captain Barbossa, Whichwaytothebeach was guided by Andrew McCarthy for Alan Johnston and John Craig.

Among the 2-year-olds, the fastest miles for pacers of each sex came in the "daily double." Quickest of all was the Sweet Lou -- Beach Showoff filly Showmeursweetside, who came her own last half uncovered in 56 3/5 - 27 4/5 to freeze the timer in 1:55 4/5 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder, the latter co-owner with Robert Mondillo and Barry Spak. This filly certainly has a strong maternal side from which to draw: her dam was the first foal of $2.4M-winner and world champion Put On A Show.

A race earlier, the Sportswriter -- Planet Ocean gelding Camealongway lived up to his name, coming from six lengths back at the three-quarters to get the win in 1:56 3/5, his own last quarter in 27. David Miller drove the Casie Coleman Herlihy miss for West Wins Stable.

Among the trotters, the most advanced was the Bar Hopping -- Winbak Maya colt Whiskey Hanover, who crushed his opposition by nineteen lengths in 1:59 3/5, with twin 29 1/5s on the end, for "Team Orange Crush," trainer Julie and driver/husband Andy Miller, and the partnership of Andy Miller Stable Inc., Richard Gutnick, Let It Ride Stables Inc., and T L P Stable.

All of the 2-year-olds were making their racetrack debuts.

-edited release (PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)