by Keith Gisser, publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Francis Azur’s Hypnotic Blue Chip ($8.60) won Saturday’s (July 3) $100,000 Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park with a track record equaling 1:49.4 effort. He defeated Won The West by five lengths, with favored Foiled Again, who set the fractions, finishing third.

Foiled Again and Dave Palone battled Pilgrims Toner for the early lead and took the field to the quarter in :26 seconds. Pilgrims Toner backed off and Foiled Again hit the half in :54 seconds, but driver Jody Jamieson had Hypnotic Blue Chip underway.

By the three-quarter pole, the pair were on even terms, and Hypnotic Blue Chip put the favorite away with a :27.4 final panel. Kevin McDermott trains Hypnotic Blue Chip, a 4-year-old son of Art Major.

In addition to the track record, the mile equals the fastest ever on a half-mile commercial racetrack and equals the fastest at night on a twice-around mile.

Sophomore fillies kick off Ohio Sires Stakes at Northfield Park

The $100,000 Battle of Lake Erie may have been the headliner at Northfield, but the Battle undercard featured six $15,000 Ohio Sires Stakes heats for 3-year-old fillies, with an even split between trotters and pacers.

The stakes action opened with Daryl Sherman’s Jesse’s Messenger ($2.10) cruising to a 1:56.3 win, the second fastest trotting mile ever by a 3-year-old filly at Northfield. Ryan Stahl put the Kent Sherman-trainee, a daughter Jailhouse Jesse, on the front and cruised to victory over longshot Donnamom and Lima Countess. Jesse’s Messenger, who had faced open stakes competition in Canada and won a Simpson split at Vernon earlier this year, is trained by Kent Sherman and has now earned $193,228 in her career. She was an undefeated Ohio Sires champ last year.

Victory Is Coming was nearly as impressive, winning her Sires split for trainer-driver Ammon Hershberger and Mt. Vernon owners Betty and John Red Shaw. After a leisurely 1:00.1 first lap, she flew home in :57.1 for a 1:57.2 win, her fourth in five starts this year. Flori’s Future was second and Yesternite finished third behind the winner, a Victory Sam filly.

Herbedaone won the final trotting split in 2:00.1, despite a month-long layoff. Trainer-driver Jimmy Smith put his Ilooklikemymom filly in gear late with a first-over move as she bested Definitely Mamie and Rose Run Leah. Definitely Mamie broke at the start, but Greg Grismore got her back trotting at the back of the back and she was impressive in defeat.

The first pacing event of the evening saw She’s A Ball ($12.60) and Jody Jamieson survive an inquiry to win in 1:57. Jamieson’s Presidential Ball filly was sitting in the pocket behind Carrie’s Standby and got steppy as she entered the inside passing lane. Owned by Jerry Zosel, Kathy Ratliff and Kimberly Dailey and trained by Jim Dailey, She’s A Ball won for the second time in eight seasonal starts. Carrie’s Standby held second and Longlegacy was third as favored Hawk’s Cry Electra was unable to overcome an outside post and difficult trip.

Rub Thing and Dave Palone won the second pacing split in a blistering 1:53.3, easily outdistancing Golden Fizz and Shez Good Osborne. Owned and trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr., the On The Attack filly cruised through fractions of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:25.1 before rolling home in :28.2 to cement the win, her fifth in 12 career starts.

The final $15,000 Ohio Sire Stake of the evening went to Lovely Dawn ($3.80), who held off Up Front Cruiser in 1:53.4, just a fifth of a second off her lifetime best. Northfield Wall of Famer Tom Brinkerhoff trains Lovely Dawn, a Dawn Ofa New Day filly, for Leonard Buckner of Mount Eaton, Ohio. Our Ms Annabel was third.