MGSP CHESS CHIEF takes allowance at the Fair Grounds

Courtesy of the TDN

7th-Fair Grounds, $46,000, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($17,500), 2-24, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:43.57, ft.
CHESS CHIEF (c, 4, Into Mischief–Un Blessed, by Mineshaft), second in last year=s GIII West Virginia Derby and third in the GIII Oklahoma Derby, was most recently second over this track and trip in a Jan. 4 optional claimer. The prohibitive 1-10 favorite settled within striking distance along the rail through a quarter in :24.45 and a half in :48.42. Tipped out three wide at the top of the lane, the bay colt forged to the lead in upper stretch and powered clear to win by 4 3/4 lengths. Irish Wind (Daaher) was second. Chess Chief RNA’d for $145,000 as a FTSAUG yearling.

Morgan’s Ford Farm purchased Un Blessed, in foal to Sidney’s Candy, for $110,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. Her Ghostzapper colt sold for $150,000 as a weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November sale and for $430,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. The mare, a daughter of Grade I winner Plenty of Grace (Roberto), also has a yearling filly by Gun Runner and was bred last year to Ghostzapper. Plenty of Grace also produced the dam of multiple graded stakes winners Diabolical (Artax) and What a Name (Ire) (Mr. Greeley), as well as the dam of Grade I placed Grace Anatomy (Aldebaran).
Lifetime Record: MGSP, 15-2-3-2, $314,830
O-Estate of JamesJ. Coleman, Jr.
B-Morgan’s Ford Farm (VA)
T-Dallas Stewart