Is Persist-ance going to pay in Saturday’s Sheppard Pace?
July 13, 2017,by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Persist Blue Chip may have impressed his connections last week, but the gods of the open draw openly mocked him.
One of three winners of their respective $25,000 elimination races, Persist Blue Chip was ‘rewarded’ with a trip behind Yonkers Raceway’s eight-ball for Saturday night’s (July 15) $110,500 final of the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace.
Yonkers’ premier open stakes event for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings goes as the sixth race (approximate post time 9 p.m.) during the dozen-race card. First post is the usual 7:10 p.m.
The eight-hole getaway probably means a come-from-behind try from Persist Blue Chip, not a new experience. In his maiden-breaking (1:58.3) elim, he was last among the six-pack early before rallying up the cones to defeat Damian Diesel Hahn by a head.
The son of Roll With Joe, a $57,000 Harrisburg purchase, goes out for co-owners (as Burke Racing)/trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, James Martin and William Switala.
“I thought I could leave (in the elimination), but there was a lot of inside speed,” driver George Brennan said. “He came home well, a good back half (sitting sixth, nine lengths from the lead) and that’s what’s going to have to happen again in the final.
“Chris (Ryder, owner/trainer of Springsteen) and Rob’s (Harmon, trainer of Kwik Talkin) horses are both very talented and raced very well (finished 1-2 in the fastest elim). You play the hand you’re dealt.
“He’s a nice colt and Ronnie (Burke) said he’s does everything right, so we just have to see how it develops.”
…and continue Persist-ing.
The Sheppard, which began in 1964 (a split stake for any number of years and unraced from 2004-11), once again honors the founder of Hanover Show Farms.
The field for the finale, with drivers and early odds: 1-Springsteen (Jason Bartlett, 3-1), 2-Trump Nation (Eric Goodell, 4-1), 3-Damion Diesel Hahn (Ray Schnittker, 20-1), 4-Phat Blue Chip (Brent Holland, 8-1), 5-Real Rayenbow (Chuck Connor Jr., 15-1), 6-Hora Star (Greg Merton, 12-1), 7-Kwik Talkin (Jordan Stratton, 2-1), 8-Persist Blue Chip (George Brennan, 6-1).
Trump Nation (first-start 1:57.1) and Kwik Talkin (life-best 1:54.4) were last week’s other elimination winners.
- Kwik Talkin gives owner Robinson a chance to shine (Friday, July 14, 2017)
Ontario-based horseman Robert Robinson is no stranger to working with talented horses. Every year, he breaks and trains quality 2-year-olds before shipping them out to trainers who will campaign and race them. Among his former pupils are Gerries Sport, a multiple Ontario Sire Stakes winner. His Kwik Talkin is the 2-1 morning line favorite for Saturday’s $110,500 Sheppard Pace final at Yonkers Raceway.