The New York Sires Stakes Excelsior A finals were raced at Tioga Downs on Friday (Sept. 11), each for a purse of $50,000.

Uhtred won the glamour boy division in the day’s fastest mile—1:51.1—with a gate-to-wire effort from post 9, giving driver Jason Bartlett his third stakes win on the day. A rallying Levine eked out second in a photo over My Pal Joe.

Unraced at two, Uhtred was making only is sixth start and won for the fourth time. The Art Major colt has displayed unusual talent over that short span for trainer Carmen Auciello and owners Earl Hill, Jr. and Stephen Klunowski.

Just Joshing (Marcus Miller) kicked off the stakes in the two-year-old filly trot with an upset of heavily-favoured Izzy Demsky for trainer Julie Miller in 1:58.2. The Chapter Seven lass sat a pocket trip behind the fave, then out-sprinted that one through the lane to post a half-length win. Andy Miller Stable, breeder Windsong Stable and Dumain Haven Farm share ownership of the winner who took a new speed mark in the process.

Dresden (Scott Zeron) avenged the loss of the favourite in the opener when the freshman Roll With Joe pacing filly took Race 3 in a personal best of 1:54.1 over Carrington in a largely front-stepping effort. Dresden is a Henderson homebred trained to now three wins in four attempts by the venerable conditioner Chris Ryder.

Zeron came right back to take the two-year-old colt trot with Linda Toscano’s Roysons Punch, affording that colt an ideal trip after a hard leave to the lead and releasing heavily-favoured Barn Hall before overpowering that one in the shadow of the wire in 1:57. Toscano trains the Chapter Seven colt and owns as Camelot Stable in partnership with R and I Farms.

Mullinax (Bartlett) took the freshman colt pace as a slight favourite in a forwardly-placed 1:53.2 effort. The wire arrived just in time for Mullinax as Hopnroll Heaven was gaining quickly and just missed victory. Mark Ford trains the winner, a son of American Ideal, for long time owner Bill Varney.

"It's been a really hard year on everybody, and this is one bright spot. I certainly wish the late Ed Mullinax who the colt is named for, was here to have raced him. Ed was a great guy to do business with, but an even greater guy to hang out with. He was a good friend," said trainer Mark Ford, who bred the colt along with Mr. Mullinax. "All of the money Ed made in the business he reinvested and it’s a huge loss to all of us that he's gone. The owner of this colt, Mr. Varney, is another really stand-up guy."

Tioga’s leading driver Wally Hennessey caught the mount on C And Ts Credit when trainer John Stark, Jr. sent a powerful entry in the three-year-old filly trot. Hennessey had C And Ts Credit on the lead through a comfortable :58.1 half and that was enough to seal the deal as the pair won as they pleased in 1:55.1 over Soprese, who rallied late for the place. Frank Barbato and Sam Bova Racing are the proud owners of the winner, a daughter of Credit Winner.

Bolt Of Beauty became Marcus Miller’s second stakes winner on the day. Away from the pylon post position, Marcus had the Bolt The Duer filly close through the early stages, then rushed Discoforadollar going into the last turn, opened her lead and held sway over Turnthefrownaround in 1:52.3. Erv Miller conditions the sophomore filly pacer for his own interest as Erv Miller Stable in partnership with Tanah Merah Farms and Sara Miller.

Conquest AS (Bartlett) dominated the three-year-old colt trot field, going gate to wire with the greatest of ease in 1:55.1. Bartlett pointed him forward from the word go and the driver's work was largely done as the Conway Hall gelding did the rest. Bronze Yankee rode the pocket to finish second. Trainer Annette Lorentzen had her charge primed, the Lorentzen family owns and bred Conquest AS under the ACL Stuteri AB banner.

Tioga Downs will close out the 2020 racing season with a 13-race card tomorrow with post time at 3:00 p.m. (EDT).

(Tioga Downs)