Temple Blue Chip was fastest away from the gate in this race and took the field to the opening quarter in :28 with Check Me Out getting away in second and Win Missy B third. Heading down the backstretch, Check Me Out was the first to move and took over the lead, but yielded to Win Missy B who was first over by the half-mile marker in :55.2.
The leaders remained in the same order heading to the three-quarter pole in 1:25, but once the trotters turned for home Check Me Out came calling on the outside and wore down the leader before pulling away by a couple of lengths in a time of 1:53.3. Win Missy B held second while Lady Andi and Yannick Gingras finished third.
The victory was the ninth in 11 lifetime starts for Check Me Out, a daughter of Donato Hanover-Illusion Bi who went over the $500,000 mark in lifetime earnings with the victory.
"She's been very good," said trainer Ray Schnittker, who co-owns Check Me Out with Charles Iannazzo. "She raced super in getting beat (by Win Missy B in the Peaceful Way final in her last start),probably the best I've ever had a horse race getting beat. Win Missy B is a very good horse, you can't take nothing away from her, but this filly of mine is something special.
"She's got next week (in the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile), then we go up to the Breeders Crown in Canada and hopefully get the job done."
In the $108,100 second division, 29-1 longshot She Wears It Well broke her maiden with a 1:55.3 score. Ron Pierce was in the bike for trainer Noel Daley as the daughter of Andover Hall-Ever A Lady defeated Anandamide and Can't Be Seduced.
Owned by Charles Stillings, She Wears It Well got away in the back of the pack as David Miller took Can't Be Seduced to the opening panel in :28.4, then yielded to 3-5 favorite On The Bright Side (Dave Palone) who set middle panels of :58 and 1:27.2.
Pierce made his move heading to the final turn and had She Wears It Well first over at the third panel, then trotted by leader On The Bright Side as the field headed for the wire. She Wears It Well($61.80)held off the late charge of Anandamide and Can't Be Seduced for the victory, while On The Bright Side faded to fourth.
The victory was the first in seven career starts for She Wears It Well, who lifted her 2011 earnings to $70,808.
"She hasn't had much luck," said trainer Noel Daley. "She always showed plenty of ability, but to come first over there tonight, that was a surprise to us.
"She probably should have won a Sire Stake back there at Chester (in mid-August) when she got run into. She's had a few problems since then, but she was good there tonight."
The $109,100 final division saw Maven win for the sixth time in eight lifetime starts as she crossed the wire first in 1:56.3. Yannick Gingras was in the bike for trainer Jonas Czernyson as the daughter of Glidemaster-M Stewart lifted her career bankroll to $131,906.
Maven got away fourth as Kissnmakup Hanover (Ron Pierce) and Chilitodayhotamale (Trond Smedshammer) battled through an opening fraction of :30.1.As the field went to the half in:58, Gingras pulled Maven off the wood and she circled the leaders and then maintained the front end at the three-quarters in 1:27.4.
Down the stretch, Maven was challenged but she dug in and reached the wire first in 1:56.3. Southwind Moni ralled to finish second for John Campbell, while Kissnmakup Hanover grabbed the show dough.
"Going to the first turn my plan wasn't to go to the front," said Gingras. "I was going to try to get her a second or third over trip, but they were going pretty slow going to the first turn, so I took my shot to go to the front.
"It took me past the half to clear and I didn't know how she was going to respond from there, getting used so hard in the second quarter, but I got a nice breather around the last turn and she showed her class.
"She's a real talented filly and it's a shame she wasn't eligible to all the big ones because she can go with them now."
