Obvious Blue Chip and Clear Idea took advantage of the long home stretch at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night and rallied with impressive victories in the New York Sire Stakes for the three-year-old filly pacers.
The quickest time of the two divisions each worth over $60,000 went to Obvious Blue Chip who covered the mile in 1:56.4 while Clear Idea won her leg with a 1:55.1. Both were well short of the Buffalo Raceway standard of 1:53.3 established in 2015 by Mosquito Blue Chip.
It took a great charge in the stretch by Clear Idea (Mark MacDonald) to help post the $12.80 surprise.
Planet Rock (Scott Zeron) set the fractions of :28, :56.4 and 1:26 and appeared home free turning for the finish line. Trailing by 3-1/4 lengths, Clear Idea (American Ideal-Glass Maker) uncorked a :28.4 final panel to register the come from behind victory. Planet Rock held on for second with Ann Hill (Larry Stalbaum) taking the show spot.
MacDonald said, "Clear Idea was real sharp. After awaiting the confusion to clear on the final turn, I pulled her out and she dug in to get the win."
Co-owned by trainer Blake MacIntosh and the Hutt Racing Stable, Clear Idea has been in the money in all 10 of her starts this season. With her fourth win of the campaign, Clear Idea has now won $87,759 in 2017 and $102,709 lifetime.
Obvious Blue Chip (Jason Bartlett) didn't need as big of rally to get the job done but hit the finish line in impressive fashion.
Sitting fourth with a quarter mile to pace, Obvious Blue Chip ($2.70) tipped three-wide and buried the field in the lane, winning by three lengths. The pace-setting Studio One (Kevin Cummings) took second and Word Apart (Zeron) finished third.
Bartlett stated of the winning journey, "I let them (Studio One and Artrageous) carry us through the first half mile and once we got through the first turn on the second circuit, I cut her loose down the back stretch. She's a nice filly, really sharp."
Co-owned by the NLG Racing Stable and Stephen Klunowski, Obvious Blue Chip (Roll With Joe-Put On A Clinic) is trained by Mark Steacy. It was the third victory in four starts in 2017 for Obvious Blue, a winner of $58,827 this year and $94,306 lifetime.
Robin J ($3.20) was the fastest in the three $15,000 Excelsior A Series races with a 1:54.4 time for driver Scott Zeron. Takeyourbreathaway (MacDonald) lit up the tote board with a $45.80 win in 1:56.4 while Bestgirlfriendever ($12.20) tripped the timer in 1:57.1 for Bartlett.
In the lone $6,700 Excelsior B Series race, Miss Roll Joe ($6.00) got the decision for Jim Morrill, Jr. and local trainer Jim Graham in 1:58.4.
Morrill, Jr. finished the night with a driving triple while Bartlett, MacDonald and Ray Fisher, Jr. all doubled.
Racing will resume on Friday night with an 11-race program set for 5 p.m. The action will continue on Saturday with 11 races slated for 6 p.m. and on Sunday afternoon beginning at 12:30 p.m. The Sunday matinee will feature the New York Sire Stakes for three-year-old filly trotters with Barn Bella scheduled to compete in the fifth race.
(Buffalo Raceway)