Tetrick shines as Simpson Stakes action continues at Vernon
Vernon, NY --- Heston Blue Chip, Forever Just, Blackjack Princess and Up Front Sharon were each divisional winners in Saturday’s (Oct. 15) $62,534 John Simpson, Sr. Memorial Stakes for 2-year-old pacers, while Tim Tetrick teamed five first-place finishers during a raw and rainy fall evening at Vernon Downs.
The Linda Toscano trainees Heston Blue Chip (1:54.4) and Forever Just (1:55) won segments of the $31,924 Simpson contest for male members of the lateral gait, while the Mark Ford conditioned youngsters Blackjack Princess (1:55.4) and Up Front Sharon (1:55.4) posted their victories in the event’s $30,610 filly flights.
Heston Blue Chip (American Ideal-Shot Togo Bluechip), the track’s season’s speed leader for freshman colt side-wheelers on the basis of his 1:52.4 New York Sire Stakes score here on Sept. 24, extended his winning streak to six with a bold-going effort over a “sloppy” track in the 10th of 12 pari-mutuel races.
The solid score, which provided Tetrick with his fifth win, improved the gifted colt’s summery line to 10 wins and a second-place finish in 11 starts for local owner Ken Jacobs. The career-winner of $273,907 is the 2011 NYSS champion for his class as the result of a 1:53.3 victory in his previous start at Saratoga on Oct. 1.
Forever Just (Bettor's Delight-Forever Cam) improved his summary line to 7-4-1 following 12 official trips to the track after Tetrick steered him to a fast-closing 1:55 triumph in Saturday’s fifth event. Fred Wallace and the Stake Your Claim Stable hold the registration papers on the capable colt, who now sports a $188,689 bankroll.
Tetrick was also at the controls behind Blackjack Princess (Cam's Card Shark-Happy Doris) in the sixth event as the frisky filly converted a draft-along trip into a tight tally over Arodasi. It marked her fourth official win in succession and gave the bay side-wheeler a 5-4-2 performance line after 12 appearances. Robert O. Di Nozzi owns the career winner of $102,750.
Up Front Sharon (American Ideal-Jeff Diamond) earned her front-ending, 4-3/4 length tally in a non-betting contest between the second and third pari-mutuel races. Jim Morrill, Jr. did the sulky-sitting for owner-trainer Ford and his partner, C. Ed Mullinax, as the steady-going filly advanced her record to 3-3-1 and winnings to $78,057 after eight starts.
Tetrick also finished first with the pacer Dot’s Bigboy (1:56.3) and Open pace winner Diamond Stick Pin (1:54) to tie Frank Milby, Chris Lems and Rick Plano for most Vernon victories on a single season’s program after 78 racing cards.