Quality, not quantity, was the best way to describe the field which answered the starter’s call in Friday afternoon’s $35,000 Open Trot at Harrah’s Chester Racetrack
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Just six square gaiters went postward in the featured event, and when the dust settled the lion’s share of the purse was earned by Anders Bluestone. The five-year-old son of Yankee Glide-Annette Hanover pulled off the 6-1 upset in a career-best clocking of 1:53.3.
Ron Pierce was in no hurry with Anders Bluestone in the early stages of the mile, but the same couldn’t be said for Home Stretch and Likeabatoutahell. Those two battled to the quarter pole in :27.3 before the latter cleared to the position of command. Likeabatoutahell, who was sent off as the 4-5 choice, led the field to the mid-way point in :56.4 before coming under pressure from Anders Bluestone in the backstretch. They exchanged glares past the third marker in 1:25.3 before Anders Bluestone found another gear and took off. He cruised under the line to win comfortably over Home Stretch, with Looking Hanover a rallying third.
William Taylor recently took over the training of the 15-time winner for Wm Kenneth Wood of Denton, MD and William Dittmar, Jr. of Langhorne, PA. Anders Bluestone, who captured the $181,369 final of the Dexter Cup as a sophomore, has banked in excess of $269,000 to date.