Over a Harrah’s Philadelphia oval not friendly to closing horses, the Sweet Lou sophomore colt Hellabalou made a startling 2021 debut on Wednesday (April 14), winning an $11,200 co-featured pace in 1:51.1, covering his own last half officially in :53. Hellabalou was third over as pacesetter Step On The Gas attempted to take his third win in his last four starts. But when driver Andrew McCarthy sent Hellabalou wide early in the backstretch to circle dull cover, he responded with a sizzling :25.4 third quarter and kept going to race first-over into the far turn. From there, he paced away to a one-and-three-quarter length victory over Step On The Gas.