At least we think he’s trying to avoid losing. One can never be sure with Zippy Chippy, a 13-year-old who is winless in 99 career starts. Friday at Northampton Fair in Massachusetts, the hapless but lovable maiden will do battle vs. seven fellow non-winners in the day’s second race. Zippy Chippy, who will carry 124 pounds, including jockey Willie Belmonte, has morning line odds of 8-1 in the $3,100 Maiden Special Weight event to be run at five furlongs. As if Zippy Chippy needed any more adversity, he will break from post position 7, a difficult post at the half-mile Northampton bullring. Zippy Chippy made his 2004 debut on Sept. 4 at Northampton. He finished seventh, beaten by 31 3/4 lengths in a 6 1/2-furlong affair to account for loss No. 99.
