Preferred pacers Hypnotic Blue Chip and Ok Commander scored a pair of sub-1:50 victories amidst the stakes action at Mohawk Racetrack Saturday night
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Hypnotic Blue Chip notched his ninth sub-1:50 career win in the $38,000 Preferred Pace with A Spring Of Hope Invitational Pace and Shes A Great Lady Stake winner Tim Tetrick in the sulky for trainer Kevin McDermott.
Meirs Hanover (Brian Sears) crossed over to command from Post 6 and carved opening fractions of :26 and :53.3 in the second race. As he headed to three-quarters in 1:20.2, favourite Aracache Hanover (Doug McNair) advanced first up from third and edged ahead while Hypnotic Blue Chip fanned three-wide after following in fourth. Hypnotic Blue Chip sprinted home to score the 1:48.3 triumph by a head over Aracache Hanover. Third place finisher Ideal Race (Jody Jamieson) were placed back to seventh due to a pylon violation leaving Major Hottie (Chris Christoforou) to inherit the show dough.
Hypnotic Blue Chip paid $8.20 to win as the 3-1 second choice. Francis Azur of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania owns the millionaire pacer, a five-year-old son of Art Major-A Traceofmagic who earned his fourth win of the season while making his 22nd start.
Ok Commander wired the field in the $30,000 Preferred 2 Pace earning his second sub-1:50 victory and first since his return from an injury that cut his sophomore campaign short. Driver Doug McNair directed the four-year-old son of Art Major-Double Creme through fractions of :27.1, :55 and 1:22.1 en route to the 1:49.2 triumph. Red Bugler (Keith Oliver) finished over two lengths behind in second and Hyperion Hanover (Sylvain Filion) was third.
The odds-on favourite paid $3.60 to win for the third time in four seasonal starts. Gregg McNair trains Ok Commander for owners William Switala and James Martin of Clarence Center, New York.
For results from Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.