from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Maxdaddy Blue Chip, showing a long run of good form despite receiving some torturous trips recently, finally had racing luck on his side Saturday night (Nov. 4) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and he came home first in 1:49.2 while winning the $20,500 featured pace.

The Sportswriter gelding actually got to race off of cover this week, and while off-the-pace racing often has limited success at Pocono, Maxdaddy Blue Chip was very strong in the last quarter, sweeping three-wide and then tacking on a personal :27.3 last stanza to win by 1-1/2 lengths over pocketsitter Archangel Three, a half-length ahead of pacesetter Si Semalu.

Simon Allard scored his fourth victory of the night with the 15-time winner in 2017, who is trained by his brother Rene, Pocono’s top conditioner. Maxdaddy Blue Chip missed his lifetime mark by only a tick with the feature triumph for Allard Racing Inc., Alycon Stable, How’s That Stables Inc., and VIP Internet Stable LLC.