Chapter Seven romps in Red Mile Open

World champion Chapter Seven scored an open-lengths victory over runner-up Arch Madness in a $7,500 Open Trot Sunday afternoon at The Red Mile. Both older horses used the race as a prep for next Sunday's Allerage Farm at the famed clay oval.

 

Just six horses lined up behind the gate and it was the Brian Sears-driven Arch Madness who secured the early lead over a stubborn LDees Creditreport and Benny Chistensen into the first turn. Tim Tetrick settled Chapter Seven into third as the quarter was reached in :27.

 

There was no change in the race order as Arch Madness continued to lead through a :55 half and 1:23.3 three-quarters. But moving into the final turn Tetrick tipped Chapter Seven to the outside and the 4-year-old son of Windsong's Legacy trotted up a storm as he rushed past Arch Madness for the easy victory. Finishing a distant third was Waldorf Hall and Mark MacDonald.

 

A winner in a Bluegrass split last year at The Red Mile, Chapter Seven's 1:50.1 win in the Nat Ray Invitational on Hambletonian day at the Meadowlands this year was a world record for 4-year-old trotters on a mile track. It also equaled the fastest mile ever trotted on a mile track shared by Donato Hanover, Muscle Hill, Lucky Jim and Giant Diablo.

 

Trained by Linda Toscano and owned by Richard Gutnick, Southwind Farm and Jerry and Theresa Silva, Chapter Seven won for the fifth time in seven just starts this year. He will now bring career earnings of $1.49 million into the Allerage.