Saratoga Sire Stakes Success For Morrill

Published: August 30, 2008 06:00 pm EDT

Driver Jim Morrill, Jr. made the most of his trip to Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Saturday, piloting six winners on the 13-race card, including a clean sweep of the four New York Sire Stakes divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies.

Morrill tallied the fastest Sire Stakes win of the evening with Stolly Up Bluechip, guiding that filly through the wire first in 1:57.1 to take her $53,252 split for owner Frank Dettore and trainer Mark Ford.

Driven from post three, Stolly Up Bluechip was parked in third place through an opening quarter mile in :28.2, but cleared the front to cut middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:28 before coming home in :29.1 to post a two-length victory.

The daughter of Art Major has prevailed in five of seven starts, including successive Sire Stakes scores at Monticello Raceway and Vernon Downs in July.

Earlier on the Saturday program, Morrill teamed up with Ward and Dettore to score his first Sire Stakes victory of the night, getting up in the final yards to take a $53,252 division with Eagle Way in 1:57.4.

Starting from post two, Eagle Way sat a perfect pocket trip through splits of :29, 1:00.1, and 1:29.2, angling off the pylons in mid-stretch to reach the front in the shadow of the wire and prevail by a neck.

The victory was the fourth in six starts for the daughter of Dream Away, who has also prevailed in Sire Stakes events at Yonkers Raceway and Vernon Downs.

Morrill returned to the Sire Stakes winner's circle for the third time after providing the winning drive behind Indulge Me, who paced a winning mile in 1:57.2 to take her $53,252 division for Robert and Lauren Tucker and conditioner Ed Lohmeyer.

The daughter of Bettors Delight has prevailed three times during her young career, with each of her triumphs coming in Sire Stakes races, scoring victories at Monticello Raceway and Tioga Downs prior to her Saratoga win.

B Intensified overcame a sluggish start to complete the Sire Stakes grand slam for Morrill, covering the mile in 1:57.3 to capture the final $54,252 split of the evening for D'Elegance Stable, Carmen Iannacone, and T L P Stable, and trainer Carmine Fusco.

After getting away in fifth place, B Intensified charged to the front while parked through an opening quarter mile in :28, cutting middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:28 before coming home in :29.3 to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths.

The daughter of Art Major has now gotten her picture taken in each of her last five starts, sweeping through Sire Stakes events at Yonkers, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, and Monticello.

Morrill also scored Saturday victories with My T Bunny and Keystone Rideau.

(Saratoga)

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