Delaware County Fair: Ucandoit Blue Chip does it in the Jugette

Ucandoit Blue Chip, a two-time New Jersey Sire Stakes champion, defeated open company in both her $25,000 elimination and the $255,000 final of the Jugette for sophomore pacing fillies on Wednesday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair.

The stage was set for the final after Ucandoit Blue Chip (Scott Zeron) and Zanatta (Joe Bongiorno) won their eliminations in 1:50 3/5 and 1:50 1/5, respectively. The other finalists were Southwind Bella (Yannick Gingras), Daffled Hanover (David Miller), Earthwindfire (Tim Tetrick), Hey Hey Mama (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), Odds On Hail Mary and Vivians Dream (Brett Miller), but Odds On Hail Mary would be scratched out of final, leaving a field of seven with Zanatta starting from the pole and Ucandoit Blue Chip next to her.

Zanatta and Bongiorno made the lead with zero dispute in a 27 4/5 quarter as the others lined up in post position order. Southwind Bella tried a first-over move on the second turn, followed by Earthwindfire, but Southwind Bella stalled out almost immediately as Zanatta continued on the point through a 55 4/5 half and a 1:22 4/5 three-quarters with Ucandoit Blue Chip always in touch with her from the two-hole.

On the final bend Zeron angled Ucandoit Blue Chip to the outside to go after Zanatta, and after a brief tussle, Ucandoit Blue Chip would get the lead before she pulled clear to prevail by a length and three-quarters in 1:50 2/5. Zanatta held second from Daffled Hanover, with Vivians Dream fourth and Hey Hey Mama back in fifth.

"I don't think there were many options. We had to take the two-hole trip. I was happy there were no flyers on the outside putting me third where I would have eventually been first-up," Zeron said post-race. "That would have been a tough trip. Zanatta can really leave the gate really fast. I protected as much as I could, and it was kind of going to line-up that way. It was on the move fairly early, but we were on the gas pedal from the half on.

"She was exceptional in both heats. In the first heat I didn't have to use her that hard, and the race kind of unfolded where it was going to help off-the-pace. The two-hole trip worked out great, but at the same time, having won the elim and the final, she was very deserving."

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A daughter of Keystone Velocity-Molly Can Do It bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Ucandoit Blue Chip is trained by Linda Toscano for owner Bill Elliott. She has ten wins from 20 lifetime starts, has banked $559,127 and paid $5.00 to win as the 3-2 favorite.

"I thought she's a big, strong filly, and I thought she could handle (two heats)," Toscano remarked. "She's a good filly, and it's kind of ice cream on the cake that her mom was my first Breeders Crown winner and now she's my first Jugette.

"We'll give her a little bit of time to recover."

Elliott added, "I can't say enough for the job that Linda and her whole crew have done with this filly. It's just amazing."