Splash Brother Spurts To NYSS Score
Sophomore pacing colts and geldings were featured on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 1) at Saratoga Casino Hotel as part of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS).
Splash Brother (So Surreal-Sugarcoated- The Panderosa) just missed the track record for three-year-old geldings when the Ray Schnittker-trained superstar paced to a 1:51 victory in his $74,500 division of the Sire Stakes.
Driver Tyler Buter aggressively moved Splash Brother to the lead going to the opening quarter, bypassing fellow even-money shot Major Betts before powering through the first half in :55. Save Me A Dance and Jason Bartlett powered first-over heading to three-quarters but was dismissed by a game Splash Brother, who dug in turning for home. The even-money shot was approached briefly by the co-favoured Major Betts in the stretch before turning that one away and stopping the timer in an impressive 1:51, a fifth of a second off the track record set by Funknwaffles in 2017.
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Major Betts wound up as the runner-up while Save Me A Dance earned the show spot to Splash Brother, who is owned by Schnittker, Arnold, Flannery and Nolamaura Rcg, all of New York.
The $75,900 division went to Uhtred (Art Major-Seaside Roxy-Mach Three), who had Scott Zeron piloting for trainer Carmen Auciello.
Uhtred left at odds of 6-1 and got a perfect trip from Zeron before pouncing to victory in the stretch. Longshot Genius Man and reinsman Marcus Miller cut the mile and rebuffed the favoured Groovy Joe around the final turn while Uhtred gobbled up ground on the pylon path. The Auciello trainee surged late and got up to win by a nose in 1:51.4. Genius Man, dismissed at odds of 10-1, was a game second while Groovy Joe had to settle for third.
Uhtred paid $14.80 to win in what was his third victory in five career starts. The exacta and triple came back $87 and $193, respectively. Uhtred is owned by Earl Hill Jr. and Stephen Klunowski of Ontario, Canada.
Live racing continues on Wednesday evening (Sept. 2) with NYSS action featured once again as three year old pacing fillies come to town. First post time is set for 7:15pm.