By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – When the pacers Blake North and Closing Statement met at Harrah’s Philly on August 11, Closing Statement was favored, set the pace, but was caught in the stretch by pocketsitting Blake North. And when the two clashed again in the Wednesday afternoon $14,500 feature at the southeast Pennsylvania oval, Closing Statement was again favored, again set the pace – and again was caught in the lane out of the two-hole by Blake North, this time in 1:50.1.
CHESTER PA – When the pacers Blake North and Closing Statement met at Harrah’s Philly on August 11, Closing Statement was favored, set the pace, but was caught in the stretch by pocketsitting Blake North. And when the two clashed again in the Wednesday afternoon $14,500 feature at the southeast Pennsylvania oval, Closing Statement was again favored, again set the pace – and again was caught in the lane out of the two-hole by Blake North, this time in 1:50.1.
Blake North left from post six in the field of eight for driver Tim Tetrick and looped his field, hitting the quarter in :27.2, while Closing Statement proceeded forward and took the lead at the 3/8, passing the next two striped poles in :55.3 and 1:22.4. But in the stretch, the victorious altered son of Dragon Again had enough to gain into a :27.2 final stanza, winning by ¾ of a length over the chalk. The win was a teaming of Philly’s leading driver Tetrick and trainer Gilbert Garcia-Owen, tops in the conditioning standings here; Blake North, a winner of $230,364, is owned by Gilbert Garcia-Herrera.
Trainer Marcus Melander unveiled yet another promising young trotter on the card in the Muscle Hill – Hall Of Face freshman filly Hall Of Am S, who won in her debut in 1:56.3 despite the outside post eight, also handled by Tetrick. Coming off a 1:57.4 qualifier in preparation for her bow, Hall Of Am S showed her has a very bright future with the 7¾-length win for Courant Inc.
Trainer Marcus Melander unveiled yet another promising young trotter on the card in the Muscle Hill – Hall Of Face freshman filly Hall Of Am S, who won in her debut in 1:56.3 despite the outside post eight, also handled by Tetrick. Coming off a 1:57.4 qualifier in preparation for her bow, Hall Of Am S showed her has a very bright future with the 7¾-length win for Courant Inc.