Tioga Downs hosted five divisions of New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Sunday afternoon.
Two of the most impressive colts up until this point drew in against one another in the fifth and final division
with Lawgiver Hanover (George Brennan) drawing the rail, and Heston Blue Chip (Tim Tetrick) getting post position six. In the showdown everyone was waiting for, both colts took off the gate as the field battled for position through an opening panel in :27.
Tetrick and Heston Blue Chip were sitting in fourth past the quarter and made the quarter pole move to the front past the half in :56.4. Brennan quickly moved Lawgiver Hanover to the outside with a first over brush and cleared Heston Blue Chip down the backside and led through three quarters in 1:24.1.
However, that was not the last they would see of Heston Blue Chip as Tetrick wheeled back out around the final turn and quickly paced right by Lawgiver Hanover and stamped himself the leader in the NYSS circuit winning in 1:53.4. Lawgiver Hanover was an easy second, while Sir Melos Z Tam (Pat Lachance) paced home late for third.
The win improved Heston Blue Chip’s young career record to a perfect four-for-four and increased his seasonal earnings to more than $54,000. Linda Toscano trains the two-year-old son of American Ideal–Shot Togo Bluechip for Ken Jacobs of Baldwinsville, New York.
“He [Heston Blue Chip] is a very nice and talented colt and he raced super today. I qualified George’s colt [Lawgiver Hanover] and he is super talented too so I knew it was going to be a tough division today. He is so big and strong and just does everything you ask him to and does it right,” said winning driver Tim Tetrick following the victory.
Other NYSS division winners included: Forever Just (Bettors Delight-Forever Cam) and Tetrick in 1:53.4, My Boogie Shoes (Artiscape–Boogie Woogie Flu) and Andy Miller in 1:54.3, Dynamic Youth (Bettors Delight–Always True) and George Brennan in 1:53.4, and Glass Prince(Artiscape–China Princess) and Tetrick in 1:56.
Tioga Downs continues live racing on Monday, August 1 at 6 p.m. featuring four races of the World Drivers Championship.
(Tioga Downs)