Hot Shot Blue Chip Upsets Chapter Seven, Mister Herbie in Credit Winner

Hot Shot Blue Chip recorded the fastest trotting mile of the season during Friday's "End of Summer Showdown" night at Vernon Downs.

Hot Shot Blue Chip turned in a career-best 1:51.2 performance in the $200,000 Credit Winner Open trot that was the fastest trotting mile of the season at Vernon Downs, and it came within one tick of the timer of the 59-year-old Vernon standard for the diagonal gait, that was set by San Pail last year.

 

Hot Shot Blue Chip finishes fastest to win $200,000 Credit Winner

Other notable winners during Friday's 10-race pari-mutuel program were Beatgoeson Hanover, who won the $191,000 Muscle Hill aged mare trot in 1:54, Canary Island, who equaled the season's swiftest clocking by a 2-year-old filly pacer with her 1:52.2 tally in the $64,600 Debutante Stake, and Jocelyn Lavigne, who rode the trotter My Irish Molly to a 2:02.2 victory in a non-betting, racing under saddle exhibition event during the track's 66^th program.

Corey Callahan, making his Downs debut, sat in for trainer Jonas Czernyson as Hot Shot Blue Chip rallied from third in the early going, challenged for the lead in the final furlong and trotted on to a head victory over the favorite Chapter Seven.

"With a four-horse field, I knew we'd get our shot," said Callahan following the sixth race. "My horse was tight and ready to race coming off his 1:52.3 victory at Pocono Downs on September 3, so I was content to stay in third until the final turn.  Things worked out well, as I was able to pass Chapter Seven in the stretch and keep my horse alive to the finish."

The sensational score was the third this season and the 19^th all-time for the Thomas Dillon-owned 6-year-old son of Revenue S-Hustle N Muscle, who lifted his career winning to $1,074,492.

Beatgoeson Hanover upsets $191,000 Muscle Hill

Two races later, Trond Smedshammer guided Beatgoeson Hanover to an upset victory in the Muscle Hill contest.  Racing fifth at the half-way mark, the 4-year-old mare took to the outside, rallied up to fourth entering the homestretch, and then powered on (last quarter in :27.4) to a three-quarter length decision over Four Damsals.  The mile-cutting favorite Cedar Dove finished sixth.

"Things worked out well for her and me," Smedshammer told Jason Settlemoir and the crowd in the winner's circle. "I let her follow advancing horses into the top of the stretch, and she just took over from there."

Friday's first-place finish for the bay daughter of Andover Hall-Beat The Wheel was the fifth this term and 18^th all-time.  R. "Nifty" Norman conditions the career winner of $898,660 for owner Neven N. Botica.  The time was four-fifths of a second off her lifetime win record.

Canary Island, leaving from the outside four post in race three, was first to the quarter, got shuffled back to third entering the payoff patch, and then rallied in the final sixteenth for a career-best effort, that tied Summertime Lea at 1:52.2 for the fastest mile by a first-year filly on the lateral gait at this point in the track's 59^th season.  Jody Jamieson piloted the bay daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Duck Duck Goose as she collected her second score in nine starts for trainer Rick Zeron and the Rick Zeron and Hutt Racing stables.

 

"She displayed the most pop in the stretch and it served her well tonight," observed Jamieson after the evening's third race."

A field of nine women riders went to the starting gate for the racing under saddle exhibition trotting race following Friday's second pari-mutuel event.  Jocelyn Lavigne, a regular trainer with two victories at the Downs this season, and her charge, My Irish Molly, took over the top spot from Mr. Go (Tara Hynes up) after the quarter and they continued on to a head triumph over the fast-closing, but off-stride Sundowner Bob (ridden by Katie Currie). It marked the first win this season for the 7-year-old mare, who is owned by Donn Lewandrowski.  

Driver Chris Lems logged three wins during Friday's card, including the ninth and 10^th events, to earn his ninth triple of the meet.  Noted reinsman Tim Tetrick posted his second double of the local season, while trainer Edgar Clarke also made two visits to Vernon's winner's circle during the evening.

DOWNS DOINGS—Whispur, who recorded his sixth score of the meet with Tetrick teaming for owner/trainer Tracy Brainard in Friday's fifth event, tied fellow trotter My Buddy Hall Lee and the pacers Steuben Ruthless and Mia's Star for most equine victories at the five-month-old meet…Five of Friday's 10 first-place finishers earned fresh speed marks…Leading driver Rick Plano (102 victories) guided the sophomore pacing filly R U For Me to a 1:55 "maiden" victory in Friday's first race…After Sundowner Bob was disqualified and placed to fifth by the judges for being off-stride in the stretch, First Tail U See and rider Ashley Eldred were moved up to the runner-up slot in the racing under saddle trotting exhibition event…Saturday night's 12-race Vernon card will begin at 6:55…Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.