Since mid-September, it's been a remarkable ride for the streaking Venice Blue Chip.

At Bangor Raceway on Saturday, Oct. 18, the four-year-old daughter of Lather Up-Lyford Cay scored her fifth consecutive win in a $6,479 conditioned event. Springing the red-hot mare smartly off the car, driver Wally Watson sent his charge briskly around the oval, leading the competition in a game of catch-me-if-you-can through evenly rated fractions of :28, :58.3, and 1:28.

After controlling the tempo, Venice Blue Chip turned her attention to controlling the raceway, holding a fast-closing Dreamfair Fantasy (Andy Harrington) pinned to the pylons as a swooping Heides Watching (Kevin Switzer Jr.) simultaneously tried her from the outside. Venice Blue Chip reached the line in 1:57.3, a half-length in front of Dreamfair Fantasy, with Heides Watching third. 

The win was the tenth of the season in 36 outings for the Derek Robishaw- and Gayle Harris-owned pacer. Venice Blue Chip, trained by Mark Harris, is now 13-for-56 lifetime. She paid $2.20 to win.

Drivers Watson, Aaron Hall, McGwire Sowers, and Switzer all recorded driving doubles on the Saturday program.

Driver David Ingraham joined the hit parade in the afternoon’s finale, engineering the 30th career victory for the veteran pacer Yamaka (1:58.2-$4.80). The win was the 7,991st lifetime driving tally for Ingraham, who ranks fifth amongst Maine-born teamsters behind only Jason Bartlett, Walter Case Jr., Billy Parker Jr., and Bruce Ranger.

Live harness racing at Bangor Raceway is held on a three-day-per-week schedule in October with 3 p.m. post times for the Wednesday twilight cards and with 12:10 p.m. starting times for the Saturday and Sunday matinees. 

(Bangor Raceway)