A negative show plunge proved a positive return on Twin B Joe Fresh, who strolled into the stretch without a doubt the winner in the first of two divisions of the $283,000 McWicked Bluegrass Stakes for freshman pacing fillies on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 29) at The Red Mile.
Harrah’s Philadelphia hosted its richest racing card of the year on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 4) with $1.3 million on the line in four $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships for two-year-olds, their complementary $50,000 consolations, and a $40,000 Invitational among many other overnight events.
They turned for home in a $74,435 division of a Pennsylvania Sire Stake (PaSS) Sunday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and the two favourites were battling – the one with the driver with 14 lifetime wins in North America on the lead, the one with the driver with 12,982 wins coming on.
Bond made her first career stakes victory look easy Friday (Aug. 12) at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, jogging to a 3-1/2-length triumph in a $147,668 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes. Uno Mas Blue Chip took the other division in the event, known as the Delmonica Hanover, for freshman filly trotters.
Jujubee and Whiskey Blu, old rivals from a spring late-closer event, showed how well they’ve developed Friday at The Meadows, as each captured a division of the Super Bowl, a $147,706 Pennsylvania Sires Stake that wraps up the four preliminary legs in the series for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
With two wins and as many seconds, Jujubee cemented a berth in the $250,000 championship while Whiskey Blu’s two victories likely will earn him a slot. All four finals for sophomores are set for Sept. 4 at Pocono.
Jujubee quarter-poled to the top for Tony Hall and never had an anxious moment, defeating the rallying Ethan T Hanover by 3-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:53.1. Early leader Sunny Crockett completed the ticket.