It took four tries for new trainer Symon Spicer to get the International Moni filly Uno Mas Blue Chip to qualify, but after three breaks and then finally staying flat, the sophomore was ready for her sophomore debut, taking the $12,600 trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon (May 31) in a lifetime best of 1:54.3.
Uno Mas Blue Chip, a Sire Stakes and Arden Downs winner last year, before her behaviour issues at the start of this season, went to the lead just past the :28.1 quarter and passed the mid-splits in :57.1 and 1:26. She then gamely turned back a long first-over bid from Count The Coin, who actually had a brief short advantage on the turn, to win by a length for owners Ashley Burslem and Steven Mullen.
Smart bettors might have caught the 3-1 shot by studying the track’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick: he was named on a horse named Jokic, named after the NBA star and a friend of Tetrick’s, but he chose to drive Uno Mas Blue Chip, and the decision paid off. Tetrick won three of the last four races, including the feature, to emerge as leading driver on the day and add to his big lead atop the Philly standings.
Racing continues on Thursday when there will be a $2,174.02 carryover into the first race Pick-4 and Friday at 12:25 p.m., and then winds up the week on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. While no set of races may totally reproduce the experience of last week’s Super Sunday here, this Sunday’s card has Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action for three-year-old pacing fillies, which will mark the debut of last year’s champion and world record-setter Beach Cowgirl, along with a $20,000 Open Handicap for each gait. Program pages for all races at Harrah’s Philadelphia will be available on the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)