Unbeaten Coral Snake Takes on Heston Blue Chip at Yonkers Friday Night
Friday, 29 June 2012 08:05
By Bill Heller
In an epic early-season showdown, undefeated Coral Snake takes on defending New York Sire Stakes Champion Heston Blue Chip in the third and final $113,413 division of the New York Sire Stakes Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace at Yonkers Raceway Friday night.
The three divisions are carded as races 9, 10 and 11. And while there are talented pacers in the first two divisions, the third is a match-up which is about as good as it gets.
Heston Blue Chip, owned by Kenny Jacobs, trained by Linda Toscano and pointing to The Meadowlands Pace, had 11 victories and two seconds in 13 starts last year, earning $375,650 and the Two-Year-Old New York Sire Stakes Championship thanks to his two-length victory in the $175,000 Final at Saratoga.
This year, he has been nothing short of spectacular in winning all three of his starts, two Sire Stakes divisions at Yonkers in 1:52 and in a track record 1:52 4/5 at Monticello, and the Historic Cup at Tioga Downs by more than five lengths in a track record 1:49 2/5. Tim Tetrick drives Friday night from the three post in the field of seven.
Coral Snake, owned by West Wins Stable and trained by Casie Coleman, has been remarkable in his progress. He didn’t start once as a two-year-old.
He reeled off a conditional victory at Yonkers in 1:53 2/5 in his debut, then two Sire Stakes victories at Monticello in the same time and at Vernon Downs in a track record 1:50 1/5. To notch that one length victory at Vernon Downs, Coral Snake had to come first over off into a :56 2/5 first half set by loose-on-the-lead Escape The News. Coral Snake paced his second half in :53 to wear down Escape The News and prevail by a length. Is there any three-year-old pacer in the country who could pace a faster second half first-over? George Brennan drives Coral Snake out of the six post.
The first division couldn’t be any wider open. Only one of the seven horses hit the board in their last start, Major Bombay, who was third last week at Vernon Downs. West Wins Stable sends out the entry of Pop Cop and American GI. They finished fifth and fourth, respectively, to Bettors Edge in a separate division at Vernon a week ago. Jason Bartlett drives Major Bombay from the three post.
West Wins Stable’s Ideal Romance, who paced his final quarter in :26 to win his division at Vernon by a nose over Steelhead Hanover in 1:51 1/5, may be the horse to beat in the middle division, although he’s listed as the 4-1 third choice in the morning line. The 8-5 morning-line favorite is Forever Just, who was fourth to Coral Snake last week at Vernon. Cat Manzi picks up the drive on Dynamic Youth, who was third by half a length to Bettors Edge at Vernon. Dynamic Hanover, Forever Just and Ideal Romance leave from the two, five and six posts, respectively.
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