Chester Hosts Road To Riches Finals
Following a pair of wins in preliminary events, the Adam Victor and Son Stable's Ideal Newton was a game winner in the $60,000 final of the Industrial Highway Late Closing series, held Tuesday afternoon at Harrah's Chester
Casino and Racetrack.
The five-year-old Western Ideal mare took no prisoners in the initial stages of the race, clearing Bet the Ranch (Yannick Gingras) through a :26.4 first quarter. Ideal Newton continued with an unopposed lead through a relatively ambitious :55.2 middle half, with 8/5 favourite Shacked Up (Eric Goodell) forced three-wide off a stalled Showherthemoney (John Campbell) on the far turn. With her main danger a virtual non-threat, Ideal Newton opened a 2-1/2 length lead at the eighth pole, but was driven through the stretch to fend off the pocket-sitting Bet the Ranch in 1:50.3. Billie Bluechip (David Miller) was a ground-saving third, while Shacked Up could only muster fourth.
Tim Tetrick once again drove Ideal Newton for trainer Noel Daley.
The $50,000 final of the Flower Street series for trotting fillies and mares saw Samuel Daddono's D Lee More rally up the open stretch to score a half-length 1:56.1 victory. The four-year-old Expecting More mare raced from midfield behind odds-on favourite Pembroke Heat Wave (Yannick Gingras), locked in up the backstretch as Princess Lindsay (Tim Tetrick) softened up Pembroke Heat Wave through a :28.2 third quarter. At the top of the stretch, D Lee More found clear sailing up the inside, rallying to just beat Pembroke Heat Wave by a half length. IPO Blue Chip (Brad Hanners) was third off a pocket trip.
David Miller drove D Lee More for trainer Tony Alagna.
The Exit 8 Late Closing series saw Lenore Fazio's Syenite and Hezahumer sweep their preliminary legs, and the two squared off in the $50,000 final. Hezahumer (Eric Goodell) cleared sharply from his outside post before yielding to a middle move from Syenite (Tim Tetrick). With no challengers to be seen through the far turn, Syenite kicked away to a three-length win in 1:54, with Hezahumer a measured second. Road Rash (Yannick Gingras) was a ground-saving third.
New father Mark Ford handles the training duties of Syenite, a three-year-old gelding by Credit Winner.
Harrah's Chester closes their 2010 meet on Wednesday, December 22, with first post scheduled for 12:45 p.m.
(Harrah’s Chester)