When your owner/breeder is Richard Gutnick and you are named Tribute To Seven, you are expected to do good things. And after an undistinguished freshman campaign, the Chapter Seven filly Tribute To Seven showed that she could well be worth a year’s wait, as she came out for her 2018 bow and demolished a field of maidens in 1:55.2 on Friday at Harrah's Philadelphia, with her personal last half in the vicinity of :56.
Driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Linda Toscano and Mr. Gutnick may now have a lot to look forward to in the sophomore trotting filly stakes ranks this summer.
Driver George Napolitano Jr. and trainer Gilbert Garcia-Herrera, the 2017 champions in their respective categories at Harrah’s Philadelphia, combined for their second feature win of the week, clicking with the American Ideal mare JK Jazzitup in 1:53.2 in the $18,000 headliner for distaffs.
Napolitano, the leading driver at the meet in the young season, got JK Jazzitup to the front just past the middle of turn one, then forced million-dollar winner Regil Elektra to be hard-used to clear to the lead after the 27.2 quarter. The winner continued to sit the golden trip behind the pacesetter to headstretch, then ducked inside and had plenty of time to rally for a half-length victory while equaling her lifetime mark, taken in a Lexington qualifier at two. Hold It Hanover, who didn’t seem to like taking the turns much, overcame a rough trip to be a strong second, a neck ahead of second-over Givemeyourheart.
JK Jazzitup, coming in from Yonkers, has been a model of consistency this year; the triumph raised her 2018 stats to 12-6-5-1, and she has earned $88,925 already this campaign. Garcia-Herrera also owns the winner with Barbara and Donald Arnstine.
(with files from PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)