Night Of Champions Produces New Records

Published: September 13, 2008 10:45 pm EDT

During Saturday night's $1.4 million New York Night of Champions, Yonkers Raceway's history books took a beating during the eight $175,000 statebred finals for two and three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.

Stephane Bouchard, the only driver to win more than once among the octet, bookended the festivities with the three-year-old pacing filly Artimittateslife and the sophomore pacing colt Bullville Powerful.

Artimittateslife, the 9-5 second choice, held Hannah Isabel (Yannick Gingras) at bay by a length in 1:53.2. That effort was a tick off from Thong's divisional record.

The daughter of Art Major returned $5.60 for her eighth win in 13 seasonal starts with 2008 earnings in excess of $460,000. Ed Hart trains for Ontario co-owners Bob Young, Paul Gazzola and Brian Barton.

"She hasn't done anything wrong as far as I can see," Bouchard said.

Bullville Powerful, now 10-for-18 with more than $457,000 to his credit in 2008, was carried to the lane by Corner Blitz (Gingras) before edging a first-up Riggins (Brian Sears) by a head in 1:54. The winner ($3.70), a son of Bettors Delight, is trained by Steve Crevani for Crevani Farms of New York.

Donttellmywife ($2.20) became the fastest two-year-old trotter - regardless of gender - in the Raceway's history when he won his NYSS final wire-to-wire in 1:58.2. The gelded son of Malabar Man, trained by George Ducharme and driven by Jeff Gregory, is now seven-for-seven this season. Ducharme shares ownership with Shannon D'Antonio and Nicola Oliva of Maine.

"Just a pro, with his mind on his business from the start," Ducharme said.

The mile not only usurped Donttellmywife's own track record (2:01.4) for frosh geldings set earlier this summer, it eclipsed the freshman efforts of Ace High Hall (1:59, colts) and Happy Ticket (1:59.2, fillies).

Eagle Way and driver Tony Morgan went the distance in the final for two-year-old pacing fillies. The mile of 1:55.2 was a full second faster than the old divisional record, which was shared by three fillies, most recently Kissing Bandit.

The winner, a daughter of Dream Away owned by Frank Dettore and trained by Mark Ford, returned $3.10 as part of an odds-on favored entry. Eagle Way saved the chalkplayers as her parimutuel partner, Stolly Up Bluechip (Jim Morrill Jr.'s choice of three in the race) broke early.

Hay Goodlooking pulled from third and romped in the two-year-old colt and gelding pacing event for driver Sears. The 1:54 effort, a sixth win in seven seasonal sojourns, took out Presidential Ball's 1:54.3 freshman record, which had stood since July of 1992.

The son of Art Major was trained by Gates Brunet for co-owners Deborah Brunet, Ted Gewertz and Samuel Dotro. Hay Goodlooking returned $2.80 as the people's preference.

"I've said all along he's the best horse I've ever trained," Brunet said.

Saturday's other New York Night of Champions winners were three-year-old trotting colt Four Starz Speed ($3.90), driven by Morrill, Jr. in 1:59; three-year-old trotting filly Credit Victory ($39.20), driven by Dan Dube in 1:59.2; and two-year-old trotting filly Shes So Savvy ($2.80), driven by Howard Okusko, Jr. in 2:01.3. Shes So Savvy, trained by Jessica Okusko for Purple Haze Stables, has won five of her six races this season.

This was the richest of the 19 editions of the New York Night of Champions, which began in 1990 and has been raced exclusively at Yonkers, save for the two seasons the Raceway was closed for the installation of video lottery terminals.

(With files from Yonkers)

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