Photo finish camera needed in Open Pace

Batavia, NY — Protect Blue Chip continued to add numbers to her already impressive career year on Wednesday night at Batavia Downs after she won the $12,100 distaff Open II Handicap harness racing pacing feature with a thrilling stretch run.

Protect Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) left from post seven and dropped in third while last week’s winner Queen Of Thrones (Kevin Cummings) out-muscled Pretty Blue Angel (Mike Baumeister) for the lead, taking the field to the quarter in :28 flat.

Positions remained unchanged to the half and the top three horses also stayed in place to three-quarters in 1:25.1. At that station Protect Blue Chip tipped, but also stalled around the turn as Queen Of Thrones opened up a two length advantage heading into the stretch.

When they straightened out for home, Morrill got Protect Blue Chip in gear and she paced furiously to track down Queen Of Thrones at the line and win by a nose in 1:55.2.

Protect Blue Chip ($4.70) got her tenth win of the year for owners Vogel & Wags Nags, Team Rice Racing and Adelphi Bloodstock and under the tutelage of Maria Rice, the 6-year-old daughter of American Ideal and Lucky Turn has now amassed $203,707 in lifetime earnings after this win.

PROTECT BLUE CHIP REPLAY

Protect Blue Chip was the third win of the night for driver Jim Morrill Jr.

In the co-featured $11,250 fillies and mares Open III, Candy’s Desire (Kyle Cummings) followed Flames Of Fire (Jim McNeight Jr.) to the top of the stretch where she shook loose and paced away to a stout two length victory in 1:55.4, which tied her seasonal mark. Candy’s Desire ($3.10) got her seventh win for owner/trainer Tammy Cummings.

Trainer Lisa Mariacher had a big night at the Downs as three from her stable won during the night. She scored with JK Kissntell (1:56.3, $17.60), Le Millienaire (1:59.1, $7.10) and Monster Myles (1:59.2, $13.80).

With no single unique winning ticket purchased in the Jackpot Pick-5 on Wednesday night (Nov. 10), there will be a very healthy and continually growing carryover of $17,346 for that bet in race 12 when live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Nov. 13). There is also a carryover of $2,000 in the Jackpot Pick-6 in race six.

Free full past performance programs for the entire card — that includes all these carryover races — can be downloaded at bataviadownsgaming.com <#x_sent/_blank> under the live racing tab in the left column, where they can be found for every live night of racing at Batavia Downs.

Post time for the first race Friday is 5 p.m.

For full race results, click here.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs