Quincy Market, Justice, and Cool Papa Bell began their respective racing careers by posting upset wins in the trio of New York Sire Stakes events for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters that took place on Monday evening at Yonkers Raceway.
Driven by Corey Callahan in the first $47,966 division, 7-1 shot Quincy Market led through fractions of :30, 1:00.2, and 1:30.2 on his way to a 2-1/2 length win in 2:00. Grand Spa (Scott Zeron) was the runner-up after going first-over from third on the way to three-quarters, and T Rex Blue Chip (Dan Dube) finished in fourth from post seven.
An E L Titan-Dance To Market (Balanced Image) colt, Quincy Market is trained by John Butenschoen for owners Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc, James Crawford IV, Berg Bros Stable and Yorwollahan Racing Team. Quincy Market, a half-brother to $766,455 earner Il Villaggio, was bred by Steve Stewart and Martti Ala-Seppala and was purchased at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $20,000. He paid $17.60 to win.
Justice, driven by trainer Ake Svanstedt, moved out of fourth at the :29.4 opening quarter in the second $47,066 flight and took the lead away from Castle House (Yannick Gingras) before the 1:00 half. From there, Justice, who was dispatched at odds of 4-1, went on to three-quarters in 1:29.1 and fended off a first-over bid from favoured Distance Learning (Brian Sears) in the last quarter to win by two lengths in 1:57.4. Molotov Cocktail (Zeron) advanced from sixth to third in the final panel.
Svanstedt also co-owns Justice, a Chapter Seven-Religulous (Muscles Yankee) colt, with partners Little E LLC, Torbjorn Swahn Inc and Myfab Inc. Justice, bred by Diamond Creek Farm, was a $62,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale buy and is a half-brother to Apostles Creed ($217,125). Justice returned $10.20 to win.
In the final $47,966 section, Grey Clouds (Dan Daley) carved out fractions of 30.2, 1:01.2, and 1:31.3, with favourite Secret Rule (Joe Bongiorno) moving out first-up from third before three-quarters and 7-1 Cool Papa Bell (Tim Tetrick) coming out into the flow second-over. Secret Rule forged his way past Grey Clouds in the lane, but Cool Papa Bell was moving even better on the far outside, and Cool Papa Bell got up to win by a length in 2:00.4. Secret Rule was next, followed by Barn Bully (Jeff Gregory).
Trained by Jim Campbell, Cool Papa Bell, a Chapter Seven-Blk Thai Optional (Muscle Hill) gelding, is owned by Runthetable Stables. Cool Papa Bell, who is a full brother to Aela Jamieson, the runner-up in last year's New York Sire Stakes final for rookie trotting fillies, was bred by Belmar Racing And Breeding LLC. and was acquired for $100,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Cool Papa Bell paid $16.60 to win.
Before the wagering card, two-year-old colt and gelding trotters competed in two $15,000 splits of the New York Sire Stakes Excelsior A Series, along with one $6,600 New York Sire Stakes Excelsior B Series event.
Debs Prince Hall, a Conway Hall-Debs Princess T (Sir Taurus) colt driven by trainer Alek Chartrand for breeder-owner Richard Vale, won the first Excelsior A test in 2:01.1 from the pocket, and Unleash The Titan, an E L Titan-Quite Possible (Revenue S) colt driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke and owner-breeder Joseph Di Scala, Jr., won the other tilt on the front-end in 2:02.4.
Middleman, steered by Brian Sears for co-owner/trainer D. Benny Eggers and co-owners Joseph Hess and Mary Abbot, won the Excelsior B Series race on the engine in 2:03.2. Middleman, a colt from the first crop of Devious Man and out of the Victory Dream mare Vivica Hall, was bred by Steve Jones and Fair Winds Farm Inc. He was a $24,000 purchase at the Goshen Yearling Sale.
(Yonkers)