It’s not too often a three-year-old pacing filly can knock off a field of top class older mares, but it happened on Wednesday night (Sept. 28) at Batavia Downs when Tres Chic Bluechip carried the mail all the way to the wire in the $15,000 Open I Handicap Distaff pacing feature.
Last week’s winner Pretty Blue Angel battled So Admirable for the lead and got it after a :28.1 quarter. With a two length lead, Pretty Blue Angel proceeded to the half and headed into the third turn where a lot then happened. Tres Chic Bluechip was approaching the leader from third while Farmerwhosemydaddy and post-time favourite Saulsbrook Olympia hooked wheels and effectively took themselves out of the race.
Tres Chic Bluechip drew alongside Pretty Blue Angel on the backstretch and took a short lead in the breeze at three-quarters. The pair paced almost even around the far turn and took the issue into the homestretch. After a solid attempt by Pretty Blue Angel to come back, Tres Chic Bluechip was just too much and paced away by 3-¼ lengths to win in 1:56.2.
It was the ninth win of the year for Tres Chic Bluechip ($9.90 to win) and pushed her earnings to $57,185 this year for owner John Sixt. Judy Blaun trains the filly. Kevin Cummings sat in the sulky.
There were also a pair of $11,000 upper-level condition races for female pacers on Wednesday.
In the first, Faithful Desire took the lead while Dontustopbelieven N followed her through fractions of :29, :58.1 and 1:26.2. At the top of the stretch, Dontustopbelieven N popped the pocket and made up some ground heading home. But it wasn’t enough as Faithful Desire hung on by one-half length in 1:55.2.
Faithful Desire ($12.80) got her third win in her last four starts for the Crazy Parrot Farm and trainer Shawn McDonough. Jim Morrill Jr. drove the winner.
Then in the second, Ready Set Rock left the gate and was never headed from there. With Misty Memory N tracking from second, Ready Set Rock went :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.3 before turning for home and keeping the field at bay in a 1:55 victory.
A recent Maine import, Ready Set Rock ($11.60) got his seventh win of the year for current owner Mike Torcello. Sammy Smith is the trainer. Kevin Cummings sat in the sulky.
Ready Set Rock was the fourth hit in Kevin Cummings grand slam on Wednesday after he had already scored with the aforementioned Tres Chic Bluechip, Parkhill Horton (1:58.3 winning mile, $12.40) and Tucson Breeze (1:58.2, $3.30).
Trainer Shawn McDonough led all trainers on the card with a hat trick of his own.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Sept. 30) at 6 p.m. (EDT), one of only two Fridays left on the live racing schedule this year.
(Batavia Downs)