by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

Lexington, KY — The Sunday (Oct. 9) card at The Red Mile featured two $113,000 divisions in the Bluegrass Stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Chapter Seven scored a lifetime best 1:52.4 mark in the first division of the Bluegrass Stakes for 3-year-old colt & gelding trotters on Sunday at The Red Mile.

In the opener, heavily favored Chapter Seven ($2.60) and driver Tim Tetrick brushed to the lead at the half-mile marker and went on to a lifetime best 1:52.4 score. Owned by Richard Gutnick, Gary Cocco, Southwind Farm and Jerry Silva, the son of Windsong’s Legacy-La Riviera Lindy is trained by Linda Toscano. The victory was his second in six season’s starts, lifting his 2011 earnings to $330,000.

Broad Bahn (George Brennan) was sent to the front from post six and took the field to the opening quarter in :28.2 with Mythical Hall second and Chapter Seven third.

But Tetrick was not content to sit and he pulled Chapter Seven off the wood and brushed to the lead at the :57.1 half-mile marker. Chaper Seven was comfortably in the lead at the 1:25 three-quarter pole and then trotted a final quarter of :27.4 in reaching the wire first by open lengths. Broad Bahn held on for second while Spectator K (Brian Sears) finished third.

“He’s a good horse,” said trainer Linda Toscano. “He’s been knocking on the door and he’s been plagued with all kinds of problems. We’ve kind of nursed him through it and he seems like he’s finally coming to himself.

“He’s really had issues. He had viral pneumonia when he first got started back (this year) and getting him to the Hambo (where he finished fourth) was nothing short of miraculous. We’ve actually been nursing him along, and nursing him along, and he started to come. This surface certainly doesn’t hurt a horse with problems and the weather’s been awesome. I think he’s finally starting to come to himself and be tight. So, we have the rest of the year, hopefully.”

Toscano added that Chapter Seven is heading to the Breeders Crown and still has the Matron on his dance card for 2011.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Big Rigs posted a 1:52.2 win for driver Dave Palone in the second division of the Bluegrass Stakes for 3-year-old colt & gelding trotters.

The second division saw Big Rigs ($4.60) take advantage of a pocket trip to post the victory in 1:52.2, lowering his mark by more than two full seconds. Dave Palone was in the bike for trainer Kelly O’Donnell and owners Miller’s Stable Inc., DM Stables and Ed Mullinax. The win was the third of the year in 13 starts for the Andover Hall-Filly At Bigs colt who lifted his 2011 earnings to $324,591.

Opening Night and Brian Sears cut the fractions from post five in this race, hitting the quarter in :27.3, the half in :54.2 and the three-quarters in 1:23.4. He was unchallenged until just before the three-quarters, when Live Jazz (John Campbell) made a move on the outside from third, only to make a break and fall out of contention.

Big Rigs, who sat in the pocket throughout the mile, then came to the outside on the final turn and took over the lead in the stretch on his way to the 1:52.2 score. Can Anyone Explain (Jody Jamieson) also rallied for second, while Opening Night had to settle for third.

“I raced him some as a 2-year-old, but last week (a pair of thirds in the Kentucky Futurity) was actually the first time we hooked up this year,” said Palone. “Even though he raced good both heats, I didn’t think he was quite as focused as he should have been. We made a bridle change this week and he was much better.

“It really helped (the pocket trip). I know John’s probably disappointed with his colt; he had two handfuls when he came at Brian in the last turn and when his colt made an inopportune break, it just set it up for me.”