Of the four $45,000 New York Excelsior Series finals for pacers on Wednesday night (October 18) at Vernon Downs, three were won by offspring of Roll With Joe.
Rootin Tootin ($10.40) parried stern pressure to capture the two-year-old colt and gelding final, Roll With Sparky ($3.00) brushed and crushed in the sophomore filly division, and Geez Joe ($4.80) proved best among three-year-old colts and geldings.
After pushing clear midway on the first turn, Blake MacIntosh and Stuart McIntosh’s Rootin Tootin had to work to fend off a first-over challenge from Manverick en route to a 1:51.2 victory. Jim Morrill, Jr. drove the two-year-old Roll With Joe-Wild Retreat colt to a one-length win over Rockapelo (Jason Bartlett) and Manverick (John MacDonald).
Roll With Sparky and John MacDonald lived up to twos-on billing in the sophomore filly division, brushing from third approaching the far side and evading a four-wide challenge from Robin J (Bartlett) by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:51.2. Third-place finisher Roll Baby Roll (Marcus Miller) levelled off after offering first-over pressure to the victorious daughter of Roll With Joe and Circle Game. Trainer Jim Graham co-owns Roll With Sparky with Lee Winters and Paul Tandlmayer.
Geez Joe and Marcus Miller encountered road trouble after leaving from post eight in the three-year-old pacing colt and gelding final, but they worked clear of early leader Sir Pugsley (Daniel Dubé) and maintained their lead all the way around the Miracle Mile oval for a 1:51.2 score. Joe Joe Joe (MacDonald) rallied off cover to take third. Erv Miller trains Geez Joe, a gelded son of Roll With Joe and Beach Bretta, for the Bay Pond Racing Stable.
While Roll With Joe was well represented, a daughter of American Ideal and Character Flaw swept from third-over to take the freshman filly pace. Jim Morrill, Jr. vaulted Checkered Past ($11.20) off the live cover of KJs Bekah to nab Act Like A Diva (Miller) by half a length in 1:53.2. Silk Reed (Chris Lems) closed from astern to take third. Peter Foley trains Checkered Past for All Star Racing, Inc.
Four trotting sires were represented in as many $45,000 Excelsior Series finals for the square-gaiters.
In the two-year-old colt and gelding final, Troller ($7.20, Morrill) used a sustained first-over push on the far turn to wear down If Not Why Not and evade the pair of Yuge (Charlie Norris) and Credit List (Andy Miller) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.2. Paul Kelley owns and trains the son of Muscle Mass and Pearls Last Chance.
Pittstop Emerald ($18.20) was a pillar-to-post winner in the freshman filly division, parrying a late rally from 70-1 outsider Minne Cheatum (Bartlett) to prevail in 1:57. Chris Lems drove the daughter of RC Royalty and Nowerland Kristen for owner-trainer Robert Gale.
Golden Kronos ($16.60) reached from the pocket in the three-year-old colt and gelding division, just barely collaring odds-on favourite Big Man Ev (Andy Miller) in 1:54.4 and keeping third-pace finisher Winneress (Morrill) 1-3/4 lengths at bay. Jason Bartlett drove the Chapter Seven-Order By Credit gelding for trainer Chip Zombick and owners Michael Pozefsky, William Pozefsky, and Myron Ekstein.
The night’s finale for three-year-old trotting fillies saw Prairie Diamonds ($7.90, MacDonald) circle four-wide in the straight to eclipse pacesetter Mighty Surf (Morrill) and pocket rival Chapter Review (Jim DeVaux) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55. Trainer Mike Deters co-owns the Diamond Girl-Princess Cosette filly with Laurie Poulin, Frederick Morosini, and Fritz Racing.