Racing Roundup: Chester Fitch, Georgy Girl N win Sunday features at Dover
January 11, 2010,from Harness Publicists across North America
Sunday’s (Jan. 10) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs and Cal-Expo.
Chester Fitch, Georgy Girl N win Sunday features at Dover
Dover, DE — Chester Fitch won the $16,500 4- and 5-year-old pace and Georgy Girl N the $14,500 4- and 5-year-old mares pace at Dover Downs on Sunday, Jan. 10.
Fotowon photo
Chester Fitch poked a head in front to win in 1:54.4 on Sunday at Dover.
Jay Baxter’s Chester Fitch was fastest in the stretch in the $16,500 event as Vic Kirby unleashed the 4-year-old altered son of Blissfull Hall-Artastasia to a 1:54.4 victory. Bushwood Z Tam (Tony Morgan) had the lead in the stretch before yielding three-quarters down the lane. Allamerican Shaker (Ross Wolfenden) was third.
A recent arrival from Down Under, Georgy Girl N, now owned by Carter Racing Stable, won her second in a row in a $14,500 race for young distaffs. Getting away seventh, Brad Hanners brought Georgy Girl N to the outside to follow Supply Chain (Ben Stafford, Jr.) moving up along the backstretch and just past the three-quarter pole they took over the lead. Georgy Girl N, a Courage Under Fire-First Sight 5-year-old, won easily with Robindarich (Corey Callahan) coming on for second. Four Starz Molly (Montrell Teague) took show honors.
— Marv Bachrad
Molly does it again at Cal-Expo
Sacramento, CA —
It didn’t come as easy this time, but it was still her 11th in a row and that gives One More Molly the longest winning streak in North America. Filly and mare claiming pacers, racing for a purse of $3,500, were featured at Cal-Expo on Sunday night in which One More Molly remained the queen.Leaving nicely from post position six in the field of the same number, One More Molly had to deal with Stick Up (Gilbert Herrera) who left to push from the pole before yielding after 3-16ths of a mile. Did trainer Tim Maier have to use his 5-year-old into a :28 opening quarter?
“Yes, she got used, but it was a welcome sight to see Trishie May (Luke Plano) coming — just for the cover she’d now provide for me,” stated Maier.
Yielding past the quarter-mile pole, Maier was appreciative when Plano hit the brakes in the second eighth of the second quarter.
“Luke slowing up the pace was good because I had already used my horse a little bit.”
Racing in the pocket at the half-mile station, timed in :57, Maier found himself sitting chilly midway through the final turn at the same point Plano chased after his charge. At the three-quarter pole (1:26.2), however, One More Molly popped out of the pocket — but whose choice was it?
“She kind of brought herself out when Luke started shifting around there, but I was actually going to wait to pull her until we were well into the lane. As a result, I was hoping she’d hang on when she pulled.”
Getting her earplugs popped past the three-quarters, Maier got the reaction he expected.
“She responded like always — with her best effort.”
Taking over the lead into the lane and opening up by 1-1/2 lengths while under a drive with an eighth of a mile to go, One More Molly, a sixteenth of a mile later, was now looking for the wire as a result of serious company from a very threatening pylon closing Stick Up, as well as from an outside gaining Wicked Beach (James Kennedy).
“They were both coming at her from either side and I was concerned in deep-stretch, but she was able to hold on by the hair on her chinny chin chin.”
Holding on to win ($2.80) by a head, the Denise Maier owned mare stopped the timer at 1:55.4, a seasonal best. Stick Up was a good second and Wicked Beach was just a neck farther back in third.
“I was happy she got there once again, but you can’t win forever and I’m sure the streak will end at one point,” finished Maier.
— Scott Ehrlich