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 two-year-old pacing colts and colts has been carded as the sixth race (approx. 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, races 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 stakes event for any number of years and unraced from 2004-11), once again honours the founder of Hanover Shoe Farms.

The field for the finale, with drivers and early odds, appears below.

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.

(Yonkers Raceway)