Sophomore filly trotters dominated the action on Wednesday night (May 16) at Saratoga Casino and Raceway as the New York Sire Stakes season got underway
. There were 11 races full of Sire Stakes competitors with seven divisions of the Excelsior Series, known formerly as the Late Closers, and four races for the 'big time' stakes fillies.
The defending champion For A Dancer (Conway Hall-Fluttering Wings) was back in town on Wednesday to the place where she earned the crown as the New York Sire Stakes' top two-year-old filly trotter last October.
The Joe Holloway trainee had regular reinsman Jeff Gregory in the sulky as she cruised through a first half of :59 on the front end. Gregory pushed the button on the sensational sophomore heading to the three-quarters and she responded, stepping off to win convincingly in 1:56.4, making good at odds of 1-9.
The three-year-old is now two-for-two this season and 10 out of 13 in her young career. The victory earned her the winner’s share of the $58,245 purse and boosted her career earnings to more than $310,000.
Other NYSS winners on the night were Anandamide (Credit Winner-Psychotherapist, Jim Morrill Jr., 1:57), Cowgirl Hall (Cash Hall-Centerfold Hall, Gates Brunet, 1:57.4) and Borrow And Spend (Credit Winner-Armbro Deja Vu, Ray Schnittker, 1:58.1).
(Saratoga Raceway)