For the second straight New York Sires Stakes card at Buffalo Raceway, it was an Excelsior A Series participant who stole the spotlight.
On Sunday (June 23), it was like a public workout for Amal Hall ($2.40) in the $15,000 Excelsior A division, as she tied the Buffalo Raceway three-year-old filly trotting record of 1:57, equaling the standard set in 2018 by Fury Road. She strolled to an easy 11-length victory over Southwind Tinker (Kevin Cummings).
Amal Hall also owns the two-year-old filly trotting mark at Buffalo Raceway after putting up a 1:59 mile last season.
A surprised Jason Bartlett said of Amal Hall, "I didn't even realize it was a track record. I knew we were going fast and if I knew if we were close to the record, we would have went for it. She did it easy, but the main thing is we got the win."
Amal Hall (Credit Winner-Arabella Hall) is co-owned by the Andy Miller Stable, the Gaitway Stable and the Dumain Haven Stable. Trained by Julie Miller, it was the first score for Amal Hall on the campaign and increased her winnings to $37,589 and $161,691 lifetime.
Winndevie has been chasing Quincy Blue Chip the past three races without much luck, but she finally beat her top nemesis in the first $57,600 division of the New York Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Winndevie (Bartlett) got revenge by squeaking out a nose victory over Quincy Blue Chip in 1:58.2 over the fast track, the first over her since capturing the New York Sire Stakes two-year-old trotting crown at Yonkers Raceway back on Sept. 22.
In the other leg, Sensibility ($7.40) cruised out to early command and never looked back in registering a length decision over Blue Ribbon Gal in 1:57.1, just a fifth off the track record for sophomore trotting fillies.
Winndevie was able to tuck into third place as the favoured Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) put up respectable splits of :29.3, 1:00.3 and 1:30.2. With a panel to trot, Winndevie swung to the outside and just got by for a nose victory in the shadow of the wire. Hanna Dreamgirl (Scott Zeron) took the show position.
"That wasn't the trip I really I wanted," Bartlett said of Winndevie. "I wanted to be on the back of Quincy Blue Chip, but it worked out anyways."
He went on to say, "We made a couple of equipment adjustments on her for this track. She got around that last turn really good and she loves to have a target. I thought we got the win but after seeing the photo, it was closer than I thought."
Owned by the Purple Haze Stables LLC and trained by Trond Smedshammer, it was the second win in five starts in 2019 for Winndevie (Credit Winner-Vida De Vie). The triumph upped her seasonal earnings to $81,923 and $309,801 in her career.
Sensibility was able to take early control off the starting gate and rolled to a comfortable 1-1/2 length victory over Blue Ribbon Gal (Morrill). The favoured Sweet Chapter (Matt Kakaley) took the show position.
"She's disappointed before on the front end, but today was just a culmination of her good races recently," Zeron said of Sensibility. He added, "You have to capitalize on getting to the front end here at Buffalo Raceway. I didn't know what to expect but (trainer) George Ducharme said she was as good as she's ever been."
Co-owned by the George Ducharme Stable, William Donovan, Joe Sbrocco and Jim Winske, it was the first win of the season in fifth attempts for Sensibility (Muscle Mass-Twin B Sensation. The victory moved her 2019 bankroll to $104,594 and to $180,492 lifetime.
There were two other $15,000 events in the Excelsior A Series. The first race went to Minor Obsession (Scott Zeron) who guided her to a $6.80 decision in Evs Girl (Bartlett). In the other division, Billy Davis Jr. sent Song Chapter to a $14.40 surprise in 1:59.
In the lone $6,700 Excelsior B Series bracket, Divine Wind (Bartlett) collared the pace-setting Barn Blaze (Davis) in mid stretch and took a $7.00 score in 2:00.3.
Bartlett and Drew Monti had each a productive Sunday afternoon by posting four victories while Zeron and David McNeight III had doubles. John Mungillo and Ducharme had training doubles.
Racing will resume on Wednesday night (June 26) at 5 p.m. with a 13-race card scheduled. Two-year-old trotting fillies will take the spotlight in the New York Sire Stakes along with action in the Excelsior A and B series.
For more information including the latest news, race replays, results, entries, upcoming promotions and simulcast schedule, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.
(Buffalo Raceway)