Four divisions of the New York Sires Stakes were contested at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday evening, with two-year-old pacing fillies in the spotlight

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In the first division worth $33,172, Stake Your Claim Stable’s Galimony, driven by Matt Kakaley and trained by Linda Toscano, won in a career-best clocking of 1:59. It was the second win in a row for the Artiscape-Ideal Gal miss, who defeated Tia Mario Hanover and Its Only Roni.

“I just let her get settled at the start”, said Kakaley. “After I brushed her to the lead past the quarter-pole, I knew we were in good shape. She’s a really nice filly”.

In the second division Lady Major, a daughter of Art Major-Eastern Lady trained by Sam Serianni, recorded a maiden-breaking win in 1:59.2 for driver Matt Kakaley. Lady Major sat a perfect pocket trip, then used the passing lane to defeat Shes A Screamer by a head. Southwind Teva took home the show dough.

“She was a little rough gaited”, said Kakaley. “But once I got her straightened out, she was fine”.

Ray Schnittker’s Barks Like A Dog, a daughter of Bettors Delight-Poodle Party, notched her first lifetime win in the third division. She stopped the clock in 2:01 en route to defeating Truly A Treasure and Perfectly Content.

“She raced just super”, said Schnittker. “I got a nice second over trip with cover, and she exploded in the stretch”.

In the final NYSS tilt, Shaky Hanover, who was sent off as the 1-5 prohibitive favourite, made a break while leading by five lengths entering the stretch and that gift wrapped the win for Hart Angel and reinsman Howard Okusko, Jr. It was the first lifetime win for the Art Major-Heavenly Gates filly, who stopped the clock in 2:00.1.

“We were just trying to get around the track without any trouble”, said Okusko. “When Jimmy’s horse broke, it just set up perfect for us”.

In the $9,000 Open Handicap Pace, Bet The Ranch, the only mare in the race, won in a track record clocking of 1:55. Owned by Edwin Gold and Conrad Zurich, the Bettors Delight-Silksndiamonds miss led for most of the mile en route to delivering the oval’s quickest mile ever for a distaffer.

Driven by Howard Okusko, Jr., and trained by Jessica Okusko, the $4,500 share of the winning purse put Bet The Ranch’s 2009 bankroll at $31,530 and her overall total to $117,942. It was her fifth win of the campaign and her fourteenth lifetime win for the four-year-old mare.

(Buffalo Raceway)