After holding her ground in a three-mare battle for early control and facing sustained pressure from 6-5 favourite Phoenix Rising through the far turn, Talk Show Chica had enough left to repel a late challenge from Fancy Like That and score a 15-1 upset in the Wednesday, Feb. 26 featured event at Rosecroft Raceway, a $14,286 Winners Over distaff pace.
Owner/driver Corey Braden pushed forward with Talk Show Chica from the start to park Dice Dice Baby (Roger Plante Jr.) and Phoenix Rising (Frank Milby) through a :26.3 opening quarter. The eight-year-old Heston Blue Chip-Notalkingback mare turned aside Dice Dice Baby's challenge before facing a second threat from Phoenix Rising, who pulled down the backstretch after a three-hole tuck, and was headed by that rival just past three-quarters in 1:25.3. Talk Show Chica battled back to reclaim the lead and then prepared to parry a third rival as Fancy Like That (Eric Davis) boldly circled three-wide from last through the far turn but came up 1-1/2 lengths short of Talk Show Chica's winning 1:54.4 mile. Phoenix Rising saved third.
Stacey McLenaghan trains Talk Show Chica, who scored her first win in three starts this year and paid $32.40 for the upset. A 29-time career winner, Talk Show Chica has earned more than $290,000 lifetime.
Braden and McLenaghan also teamed up to win with Throw The Play ($4.20), who rallied off stalled cover for a 1:54.1 victory in a $10,000 mares conditioned pace. The four-year-old mare, another daughter of Heston Blue Chip (out of Sports Alert), has now won three in a row at Rosecroft.
Roger Plante Jr. led all drivers with three wins on the 12-race card.
Live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Monday, March 3 with a $691.18 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 (race 10). First post is 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Rosecroft Raceway)