Despite the absence of Metro Pace winner Sportswriter, 25 talented two-year-old pacing colts and geldings will contest four eliminations of the 20th edition of the Governor's Cup Sunday, September 13 at Ches
ter Racetrack.
Rock N Roll Heaven, runner-up to Sportswriter in the Metro, returns to the United States after a 1:49.4 performance for driver Dan Dube. The two-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover has already earned over $384,000 under the tutelage of trainer Bruce Saunders, but he'll have it tough in Sunday's seventh race, as he will square off against Windfall Blue Chip, who took the Woodrow Wilson on closing day of the Meadowlands meet. The son of Art Major took the Wilson in 1:51.4 with Brian Sears in tow, turning in a brilliant :26.3 last quarter to take his fourth career win in the George Teague barn.
Dr. Ian Moore sends Malicious to this year's Governor's Cup, winning his first seven in a row before falling short to Sportswriter in the Metro, finishing fourth in 1:50.2 for driver Paul MacDonell. He'll face off against Woodrow Wilson runner-up Paynes Landing in the fourth elimination, carded as Race 11.
Western Moonlight, winner of the Sweetheart on the Meadowlands closing day card, headlines 20 entrants in the Three Diamonds, which were split into three eliminations. She will contest the third and final elimination (Race 9) against Fancy Filly, who is six-for-seven from the powerhouse Teague barn, winning a division of the Eternal Camnation at Mohawk with Corey Callahan. Her only blemish came in the Shes a Great Lady at Mohawk, beaten by just a half-length by Put On a Show.
Shes a Great Lady runner-up Higher And Higher -- a winner of her only other career start -- looks to be the filly to beat in the second elimination (Race 6). Jack Moiseyev is listed to drive the Western Terror filly who finished just a neck short of Put On a Show last week at Mohawk.
The top eight colts and the top eight fillies will return for the Governor's Cup and Three Diamonds finals on September 20, with total purses for the day's card reaching over $1.1 million.
First-race post time on Sunday is 1:15 p.m. (ET).
(With files from Chester)