Late rush lands Parisian Blue Chip $45,000 Preferred-2

Parisian Blue Chip (Bettors Delight) passed five harness racing foes in the stretch to win the $45,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred-2 Handicap on Friday night (Feb. 24) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

James MacDonald held the mare fifth as Major League N (Ed Hensley) cut :27.3 and :56.1 panels to the half. Parisian Blue Chip pulled out while turning for home to take third-over position and was sixth as they hit three-quarters in 1:22.3.

Parisian Blue Chip moved into daylight entering the stretch, but her rally only kicked off at the eighth pole when she surged past the top trio to score by a half-length in 1:52.1.

Need To Breathe (Travis Cullen), who was first up on the last turn, battled on and was a game second. Major League N held onto third.

PARISIAN BLUE CHIP REPLAY

It was the second win of the season for Parisian Blue Chip, and she went off at 8-1. Her career totals are 28 wins and $549,814 in earnings in 125 starts. Shawn Steacy trains the eight-year-old for Stephen Klunowski of North York and David McDonald of Cornwall.

The Preferred-2 was the first of the stepped-up purse structure, by which Preferred-2s are worth $5,000 per starter and Free For Alls are worth $6,000 per starter.

The next of those will be race nine on Saturday, Feb. 25. O’Brien Award winner So Much More will take on last week’s winner Wheels On Fire and six other top pacers in a $48,000 Free For All.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink