MILTON, Ont., Sept. 28, 2024 – Wendell Blue Chip and driver Doug McNair weaved a great second-over trip to win the $75,000 Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace Grassroots Final on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The time for the mile was a lifetime-best 1:57.3. The track condition was degraded to “good” just before the 10 youngsters took to trotting.
First Class Rule (Muscle Mass) left the gate fastest as favorite Pierre In Paris (Archangel) and longshot Mr Pasadena (Green Manalishi S) hurried for second and third positions, respectively. Cousin Halifax (Trixton) broke stride in that first turn and was eliminated. The field lined up for a first quarter in :27.4.
On top, First Class Rule gave foes a 31-second breather as he rolled easily to a :58.4 half, where The Bear A Cuda (Green Manalishi S) galloped out of contention.
Speeding first over to challenge came 32-1 shot Alimony Mike (Royalty For Life) while Pierre In Paris took valuable cover behind the longshot and McNair’s Wendell Blue Chip sat in the second tier.
McNair said after the race, “I wasn’t in a big hurry to move [to the front].”
His patience was a plus as the field hit three-quarters in 1:29.
Into the stretch, the field widened and McNair had the most trot available to beat Pierre In Paris by almost a length. Alimony Mike picked up the show money and outsider Hay Dad (Muscle Mass) took the fourth spot.
The son of Green Manalishi S out of the Andover Hall mare Aurova Hanover, Wendell Blue Chip raised his first-season earnings to $112,500 with the win.
Jared Bako trains the gelding owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock and Daniel Zuker.
“I had no game plan,” McNair said. “Last week he was not the best but here I got him in a good spot.”
Regarding recent breaks in the freshman season McNair added: “He’s getting better as the year goes on.”
Wendell Blue Chip paid $9.90 to win.
FEATURED PHOTO: Wendell Blue Chip winning the $75,000 Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace Grassroots Final on Sept. 28, 2024 at Woodbine Mohawk Park (Clive Cohen/New Image Media)
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