Don’t Chip Me chisels out Open score

Don’t Chip Me earned her 10th win of the harness racing season on Monday as she secured a hard-fought victory in the final strides of the Monticello Raceway Fillies and Mares Open Pace.

Don’t Chip Me was third-fastest at the start and slid to the inside behind Motu Moonbeam N (Joseph Chindano Jr.) and Sandy Win (Braxten Boyd). The top two swapped places as they hit the quarter mile marker in :27.3, and Don’t Chip Me began her first-over hike nearing the half in :57.2.

Driver Michael Merton showed the whip down the stretch as Don’t Chip Me worked past Sandy Win in a third quarter that was finished in 1:26.1. Sandy Win clawed back her advantage as they moved into the final turn and held the lead until the final strides, but Don’t Chip Me refused to be defeated and made it past at the finish in a 1:56.2 victory.

He denied Boyd his fifth win of the day as Sandy Win was beaten by a head. Moonlightandroses (Cory Stratton) was third.

DON’T CHIP ME REPLAY

The score was Don’t Chip Me’s 10th of the season. She won the Fillies and Mares Open at Monticello on Jul. 12 but hadn’t found the winner’s circle in her four attempts at the class since. John Hallett of Margate trains the four-year-old daughter of Hypnotic Blue Chip; he shares ownership with Rick Howles of Lake Orion and Geoffrey Howles of Pompano Beach. The mare is now 12-for-61 lifetime with more than $75,000 in earnings.

Braxten Boyd earned a sequential grand slam during the card with wins in races three through six.

Monticello Raceway resumes action on Tuesday, Aug. 24 with an eight-race card starting at 12:10 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnessink