Gallo Blue Chip demonstrated what it takes to be the world’s best pacer with a gritty win in the $210,000 American-National Aged Pace on Saturday at Balmoral Park.
The three-quarter-length score earned $96,600, placing the gelding within $26,000 of Nihilator’s $3,200,361 earnings record. The 2000 Horse of the Year led at the half-mile before gaining a third-quarter pocket trip that helped him conserve for a stretch run.
“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” said winning trainer Mark Ford. “When Royalflush Hanover got yanked going to the half like that, I was confident. I didn’t think the stretch was ever going to end, though.”
DuQuoin State Fair: Cobol used two front-end trips to capture the $550,000 World Trotting Derby in southern Illinois. Trained by Per Eriksson, Cobol took the second heat and then won a race-off over Diamond Goal, the 46-1 first-heat winner.
Also, Illinois star Plesac romped two foes, but fell far short in his attempt to break the trot race-time world record in a $2,000 non-betting race.
Fox Valley Diva, Kadabra and Mini Me moved within one win of earning a share of the $1 million 2-year-old state-bred bonus. The trio posted easy Illinois-bred stakes wins.
Top Flight Stakes: Vicki Vallencourt put on a late surge and earned an upset victory in the $75,000 Top Flight Stakes at Arlington Park.
Driver out: Andy Miller, Chicago’s leading driver, will miss six to eight weeks after breaking his left hand Friday night at Maywood Park.
