Two-year-old pacers were on the docket on the two most recent race cards at Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack, with the fillies competing in four $73,000 divisions on Thursday (July 22) afternoon, and the colts and geldings in five $60,000 splits on Friday (July 23) afternoon
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Fashion Ecstasy (by Western Hanover) took top honours on Thursday by virtue of a 1:53 mile. He was sent right to the front by Hall-of-Famer Dave Palone. "I thought coming out of her last race that I had the best horse, and that's how I planned on racing her," said the second-winningest driver in North American harness racing. "I figured I'd let the dust settle and then move her to the front."
After leading a :56.2 half mile, Palone was very much at ease with how the race unfolded. "I had no concern whatsoever about High Maintencechic on the outside. I felt the horse to beat was the one on my back—David Miller’s filly (Whatrugonnado). My filly was well in hand and took well to the racetrack; she felt loaded the whole time." And after repelling the first-over challenge of High Maintenancechic (Tony Morgan), Fashion Ecstasy pulled away to win by 3-1/4 lengths in a strong 1:53.0 mile.
Palone concluded: "I just asked her off the turn and she responded. I expected a big effort, and she showed it to me."
Other division winners, with sire, time, and driver, were:
McAce Of Arts (McArdle, 1:56.1, George Napolitano)
Show And Tell (Village Jolt, 1:53.4, Brian Sears)
Sand Starla (Real Desire, 1:55.1, Brett Miller)
Trainer George Teague scored a double on the Friday stakes card, with Custard The Dragon scoring a front-running victory in 1:52.2, and the pair of Wink N Atcha and Reckless Ric finishing one-two in a 1:52.4 mile a bit later in the card.
Custard The Dragon (by Dragon Again) brushed to the front after stalking a :27.3 first quarter, controlling a reasonable middle half before repelling a late challenge from Mr Carmine Fra (Brett Miller) on the far turn, pulling away to win by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:52.2 under Montrell Teague. The elder Teague commented: "He got a chance to move to the front and show a nice quarter on the end of the mile--:27.3. He's done everything well so far. He's kind of small in stature, but it seems like he's got plenty of speed."
A pair of Teague trainees impressed in the seventh race on the program, as Wink N Atcha (by Dragon Again) and Reckless Ric (by Quik Pulse Mindale) made for a Teague exacta. Wink N Atcha (Yannick Gingras) cleared the lead after a :27.3 first quarter, set a moderate :56.2 half, and then yielded to a backside brush from Reckless Ric (Montrell Teague) before the two pulled away, opening up 7-3/4 lengths on third-place finisher Panamanian. Wink N Atcha was a neck the better, stopping the timer in 1:52.4. George Teague continued: "It was a real good mile for both of them. They raced like a team from the head of the stretch on, and Wink N Atcha got up by a neck. It was a really good performance."
As always, Teague has high aspirations for his young horses, but as always, Teague is cautious not to overextend his two-year-olds. "Wink N Atcha and Custard The Dragon are staked to the Breeders Crown, but we've got to take things one step at a time. If they keep showing the miles like they did, I think they'll be of Grand Circuit caliber."
Driver Brett Miller and trainer Steve Elliott teamed up for a stakes double, with Fameous Western (Western Hanover) turning in a 1:54.4 victory, and Vincent Fra (Western Hanover) scoring in 1:53.3. The Bob McIntosh-trained Alexpanderthegreat (No Pan Intended) also was victorious, equaling Custard The Dragon's 1:52.2 mark on the day under Tim Tetrick.
(Harrah's Chester)