With most of the entrants in the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies making their first career starts, there were a lot of questions to be asked about the ladies when they hit the starting gate at Buffalo Raceway. But when the dust had settled, four of them came up with the right answers on Wednesday night (June 26).
Love A Good Story was the quickest in the four $26,000 divisions with a 2:00.1 clocking, while Sorprese ($11.20), Hushabye ($8.80) and Really Blue Chip ($49.80) picked up their maiden victories in their initial outings.
It was a good opening chapter for Love A Good Story's career, as she wired the field for driver Andy Miller, beating Without A Warning (Scott Zeron) by 2-1/2 lengths. Evanna (Drew Monti) finished in the show position.
Scoring from post 6, Love A Good Story, a $90,000 yearling purchase at Lexington, was able to grab the lead and was helped out as Reciprocalbluechip and Destined To Dream broke at the start. After a 1:01.1 opening half, Love A Good Story (Chapter Seven-Celebrity Lovin) covered the back half in :59 to secure the victory.
Co-owned by the Pinske Stables and the Kentuckiana Racing Stables, Love A Good Story is trained by Julie Miller.
Sorprese (Dan Daley) rallied in the stretch and collared the pace-setting Rasta Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) by a length in 2:00.4, while C Me Hyde (Phil Fluet) was third.
Rasta Blue Chip was in charge with fractions of :30.3, 1:00.3 and 1:31, but Sorprese got on even terms with her at the top of the lane and used a :29.3 final frame to take a come-from-behind victory.
Owned by the Crawford Farms Racing Stable, J.A. Crawford and A Daley, Sorprese (Conway Hall-Isabella Gal) is trained by Daley.
In the slowest bracket, Hushabye (Morrill) show a lot of patience as Forever N Ever K (Charlie Norris) raced out to an eight-length advantage at the half but couldn't hang on.
Rallying from far back, Hushabye used a :29.2 last quarter to edge past Forever N Ever K by a neck in 2:05. Tapupu (Fluet) managed to collect the third-place cheque.
Hushabye (Chapter Seven-Banbury Cross) is trained and co-owned by Blake MacIntosh, S.L. Heimbecker, the Mortgage Boys Stable and the Hushabye Stables.
Really Blue Chip (Anthony MacDonald) took advantage of a miscue by Tupelo Honey and went on to post a 5-1/2 length score over Illdoitmyself (Zeron) in 2:01, with Sweet Sofie T (Charlie Norris) taking third.
With Tupelo Honey showing the way approaching the head of the lane, she broke stride and made the first-over Illdoitmyself scramble to the outside. Really Blue Chip avoided the trouble and found clear sailing, cruising home to an easy win.
Really Blue Chip (Credit Winner-Muscles Secret) is owned by Thestable Really Bluechip and is conditioned by Tammy Cummings.
In the two $15,000 Excelsior A events, Greyscale (Zeron) took the opening leg with a 2:03.4 victory and returned $7.30 for the triumph. In the second leg, Concerted Hanover (Morrill Jr.) was stubborn on the lead and led every step of the way in taking the $8.10 victory in 2:03.4.
The lone $6,800 Excelsior B race saw Comaway With Me (Kevin Cummings) post a stunning $30.80 decision in 2:05.4.
Rock N Roll Rosie (Tyler Buter) captured the $11,500 Class A-Open pace for fillies and mares in 1:56.3.
Morrill completed the night with four wins in the sulky, with Cummings getting a double.
Racing will return on Friday night (June 28) at 5 p.m. with an 11-race card. There is a $782 carryover in the Pick-5, which begins in the second race.
For more information, including the latest news, race replays, results, entries, upcoming promotions and simulcast schedule, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.
(Buffalo Raceway)