Obvious Blue Chip ($4.40), co-owned by Ontarian Stephen Klunowski in partnership with the NLG Racing Stable, parlayed a pocket trip into a New York Sire Stakes victory on Monday afternoon (September 4) at Tioga Downs following her Empire Breeders Classic triumph over the same course a fortnight ago.
Obvious Blue Chip, one of six three-year-old pacing fillies to line up in the first of two Sire Stakes divisions (race four), carrying a purse of $60,200, pressed at the pegs to secure the pocket behind odds-on favourite Tequila Monday (Brett Miller) and tracked a strong pace through splits of :27.1, :55, and 1:22.1 before making her presence felt in the final three-sixteenths. The daughter of Roll With Joe and Put On A Clinic stuck her neck in front just upon cornering for home, drawing off by 3-3/4 lengths at the end of her 1:50.2 mile. Tequila Monday narrowly held second over Artrageous (Mark MacDonald).
Scott Zeron drove Obvious Blue Chip, now a six-time winner, for trainer Mark Steacy.
In the other Sire Stakes split (race six), featuring a field of eight contesting $61,300, Roaring To Go ($6.80) likewise enjoyed a pocket trip, but had to hook three-wide at the eighth pole before eclipsing dueling leaders Planet Rock (Jason Bartlett) and Clear Idea (MacDonald)—second and third respectively from first-over and pacesetting journeys—for a going-away win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:51.4.
Brett Miller drove the daughter of Art Major and Lioness Hanover for owner Frank Chick and trainer Kevin Lare. The win was Roaring To Go's ninth in 25 career outings.