Vernon Downs hosted two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Wednesday (June 24), and a pair of Chapter Seven colts proved best in their respective races.
Third Shift ($2.80, Åke Svanstedt) won the $59,000 first division impressively.
Take The Credit (Andy Miller) took the early lead, but Bluffinner (Trond Smedshammer) found the front before hitting the first quarter in :28. He was followed by the coupled entry of Take The Credit and Third Shift as they hit the half in :58.2.
Third Shift made his move from third as they headed for the last turn, and he got a clear lead before hitting three-quarters in 1:26.2 and pouring it on in the stretch for an easy win in 1:54.3, a lifetime best. Take The Credit came up to finish second, and Ballcapnbluejeans (Mark MacDonald) fired late to take third.
Third Shift, a son of Chapter Seven owned by Melby Gard Inc. and trainer Svanstedt, now has four career wins.
Berkery J ($13.60, Scott Zeron) charged late to capture the $58,000 second division.
At the start they would be five wide as they went by the stands for the first time.
Beerthirty K (Tyler Buter) won a five-way battle for the early lead, working his way clear through a :28.1 quarter. Barn Holden then took over and controlled middle splits of :56.4 and 1:25.4, but Berkery J made his move from third nearing the turn for home. He took over at mid-stretch and held off a late surge from Chaptiama (Trond Smedshammer) to win in a lifetime best of 1:54.2. Barn Holden settled for third.
Berkery J, also by Chapter Seven, is owned by Kenneth Jacobs and trained by George
Ducharme. He now owns four career victories.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Thursday (June 25), with a 13-race card at 4 p.m.
(Vernon Downs)