Purpose Blue Chip fastest in Monticello NYSS
July 16, 2018,by Shawn Wiles, for Monticello Raceway
Monticello, NY — “Go down the road as fast and far as you can go” seemed to be the tactic of the day in Monday afternoon’s (July 16) New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings at Monticello Raceway. Many of the afternoon’s participants tried to follow that pattern; some were successful while others were not.
Geri Schwarz photo
Purpose Blue Chip took top honors in Monday’s New York Sire Stakes at Monticello Raceway with a 1:57 mile.
In the first $38,500 Sire Stakes division (race one), the short five-horse field saw Don (Andy Miller) first away from the gate from the rail. Purpose Blue Chip (Dan Daley) also left hard, but were content to tuck into the three-hole and let Don cut the fractions. Don led the pack through early fractions of :28.4 and :58.2 before Purpose Blue Chip pulled at the half and continued to grind his way toward the leaders. Don was still on top by three-quarters in 1:27.3, but Purpose Blue Chip was at his throat latch. At the top of the lane, Don and Purpose Blue Chip were trotting in unison, but Purpose Blue Chip edged away over Don by a length in 1:57. A fast-closing On The Ropes (Åke Svanstedt) finished third.
A son of Chapter Seven, Purpose Blue Chip notched his third win of the season for the partnership of Ann-Mari Daley, James Crawford IV, Richard Lombardo, and Donald Brenner. A happy Dan Daley said in the winner’s circle, “I put the trotting hobbles on him a month ago to help steady him out and it really worked. He can really trot the turns fast now.”
Babylons Bridge (Credit Winner) completed the Daley double in race two, scoring in 2:01 in a $6,600 Excelsior B event.
In the second division (race six), which carried a $39,200 purse, 14-1 Lindsey’s Pride (Marcus Miller) cut the early fractions of :29 and :59.1 without any pressure. At the half, 1-9 favorite The Veteran (Scott Zeron) started the outer flow, followed by Winning Shadow (Mike Simons). Lindsey’s Pride still had the lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:28.1, and The Veteran‘s effort to gain stalled nearing the paddock turn. Winning Shadow fanned off live cover in the lane and passed The Veteran to win in 1:57.4 by three-quarters of a length. Early pacesetter Lindsey’s Pride faded to fifth.
Winning Shadow picked up his third win of the year for the Our Horse Cents stables and J&T Silva Stables LLC. The son of Credit Winner is trained by Jake Huff and returned $27.80 to win.
In the third and final Sire Stakes division (race eight), which also was contested for $39,200, Clive Bigsby (Scott Zeron) sprinted from post five to lead the field through fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:27.2 with heavy favorite Chasin Dreams sitting the pocket. After contently stalking from fourth, Perlucky and Trond Smedshammer moved out at the three-quarter pole to challenge. The son of Lucky Chucky tried to pull up passing the paddock draw gate, but Smedshammer barked at his mount to pay attention. He quickly responded and trotted home strongly to win a tight three-horse photo in 1:57.2 over Clive Bigsby and Chasin Dreams.
It was the first seasonal win for Perlucky, who races for the Purple Haze Stable LLC.