WILKES-BARRE PA – After having recorded just two victories over a period of 777 days, the Credit Winner gelding Quiksilvr Bluechip has now won two races in the last seven days after fashioning a career-best 1:53.1 while winning the $16,000 featured claiming handicap trot at Pocono Downs at Mohean Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon.
The career winner of $516,789 stayed third-inside as there was a fierce battle on the front end through splits of :26.3, :55, and 1:23.3. Quiksilvr Blue Chip came off the rail on the far turn and chased down the pacesetting Wallet by 1¼ lengths for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Carmen Iannacone.
(And if you were wondering about Chapolier, who became the winningest trotter in North America this year by winning eleven straight races, most at this level, at Pocono, he was claimed last time, and will try to extend his winning ways in the Open handicap at The Meadows during a Friday twilight card.)
Quiksilvr Blue Chip was driven by Tyler Buter, who in all won six times during the Tuesday card, including twice for both Oakes and Ron Burke, who leads the local training colony with Oakes just behind him. Buter, who already has a seasonal lead of some thirty wins and is threatening to break up the 15-year duopoly that George Napolitano Jr. and Matt Kakaley have held on the Pocono dash crown, will certainly be sorry to see the last card of May at Pocono on Saturday, as during the 15 days of the month he has raced at the mountain oval, Buter has notched fifty victories – more than three a day on average.
Doing almost as well as Buter on the Tuesday program were trainers with their eyes on the claiming box. A total of five claiming races were programmed, and four of the five winners of those races, including Quiksilvr Blue Chip, will be changing barns for their next race. Ten horses were claimed for $172,500 on the card, running the seasonal figures to 232 claims resulting in $4,396,250 changing hands.
The next card at Pocono is the aforementioned Saturday program at 1 p.m., which will feature races for developing horses of both gaits and a fast-class pace. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.