YONKERS, NY, Thursday, July 13, 2017 — Persist Blue Chip may have impressed his harness racing 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 15th) $110,500 final of the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace.
Yonkers’ premier open stakes event for 2-year-old pacing colts and colts goes as the sixth race (approx. post time 9 PM) during the dozen-race card. First post is the usual 7:10 PM.
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 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 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.
Frank Drucker