Saratoga Casino Hotel's first installment of the New York Sire Stakes on the 2016 campaign took place on Friday night (June 3).
Three-year-old pacing fillies took center stage on the evening’s 13-race program and there were three divisions for the top flight New York-bred fillies that went for purses of better than $58,000.
The defending champion among the fillies is Dime A Dance (sired by Roll With Joe), and the sophomore made her ’16 Sire Stakes debut on Friday as the race’s 1-9 betting favourite. Matt Kakaley piloted the Ron Burke-trained filly and moved her to the early lead. Dime A Dance faced a challenge in the stretch from Angels Rockn Pink (by Rock N Roll Heaven) before scoring in 1:54. She is owned by Our Horse Cents Stables, Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., and J And T Silva Stables LLC.
The other two Friday Sire Stakes winners were Time On My Hands (by American Ideal), who scored with Jason Bartlett in the bike for trainer Chris Ryder, and No Clouds Bluechip (by Roll With Joe) with Mark Beckwith piloting for conditioner John Berger. Both of those fillies stopped the timer in 1:53.2.
New York Sire Stakes action will return to Saratoga on Friday, July 8 when two-year-old pacing colts are featured.
The weekly $15,000 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace was won by the streaking post eight assignee Godiva Seelster in 1:52.2. Wally Hennessey drove the Camluck mare, now a 30-time career winner, to the half-length victory over Campanile for trainer Dan Hennessey.
(With files from Saratoga)