CHESS CHIEF victorious in the NEW ORLEANS CLASSIC S.-GII,

CHESS CHIEF purchased at Saratoga for for James Coleman and trainer Dallas Stewart breaks through to win the New Orleans Classic.Sadly, Mr Coleman was not there to see it but we are sure was cheering him on from on high.
Courtesy of the TDN
Chess Chief, third behind Maxfield (Street Sense) in the GIII Mineshaft S. last time Feb. 13, was disqualified from third and placed sixth for interference in this race last year. His resume also includes a runner-up finish in the 2019 GIII West Virginia Derby and a third-place finish behind Owendale in the GIII Oklahoma Derby. He captured an optional claimer by a neck two starts back over this course. The bay broke sharply here, but was content to drop back while saving ground to race last of seven through a half-mile in :48.30. He was under a ride rounding the far turn, began to advance while about four or five wide and, after shifting out even further around the three-sixteenths marker, came down the center of the course to just nail Owendale on the line in dramatic fashion.

Pedigree Notes: Virginia-bred Chess Chief becomes the 92nd stakes winner/39th graded winner for leading sire Into Mischief. Un Blessed, a maiden of five career starts racing in Japan, brought $110,000 from Chess Chief’s breeder Morgan’s Ford Farm at the 2014 KEENOV Sale. Un Blessed, a daughter of GI Yellow Ribbon Invitational S. heroine Plenty of Grace, is also represented by the 2-year-old filly Smuggle (Gun Runner) and a yearling colt by Ghostzapper. She was bred to Candy Ride (Arg) for 2021. This is also the family of champion grass mare Soaring Softly.