Chester Hosts PASS Championships
The sophomore stars of the PASS program converged on Chester Downs on Sunday afternoon to compete in a quartet of $150,000 championship finals.
Classic Lane kicked things off with a gusty first-over score in the three-year-old filly trot division for trainer Peter Foley and driver David Miller. She was sent off at odds of 6-1.
The daughter of Lindy Lane dug down deep to post the narrow score in 1:55.4 over runner-up Poster Pin Up, who rode her cover to the head of the lane.
Morguns Sweetheart took home the show dough while race favourite Swoosh Hanover, who set splits of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:26.4, had to settle for fourth prize.
It was the seventh win of the season in 12 starts for the filly, who has banked $184,364 to date for the Hatfield Stables of Columbus, Ohio.
In Focus went coast-to-coast in the final for colt and gelding trotters, winning in a time of 1:54.3 for trainer Jimmy Takter and driver Dave Palone.
The son of S Js Photo, who was sent off as the 3-5 choice, laid down panels of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:25 before finishing off his foes with a :29.3 final frame. Dennis was second best and The Budster was third.
It was the seventh win of the season in 11 starts for In Focus, who has banked $330,694 to date for Christina Takter of East Windsor, NJ and John & Jim Fielding of Toronto, ON.
Native Bride romped to an ultra-impressive victory in a time of 1:50.4 for driver Brian Sears and trainer Joe Pavia Jr. in the final for pacing fillies.
It was the 10th score of the campaign for the heavily-favoured daughter of Allamerican Native, who defeated Respectable and Dont Deny Me.
She boasts lifetime earnings of $242,300 for partners Jay Sears of Osteen, FL and T H Stable LLC of Wall, NJ.
Atochia registered a 10-1 upset for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Mickey Burke in the final for pacing colts and geldings. He rallied off a pocket-trip to stop the clock in 1:50.2
Keystone Nautilus shot through late to grab the runner-up award while Lonestar Legend, who did a great deal of the road work in the affair, finished third.
The son of Dragon Again has put together an impressive 5-6-1 record in 18 starts this season for partners Sylvia Burke, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables LLC and M1 Stable LLC. The lion's share of the purse boosted his lifetime earnings to $237,614.