Harness racing's top-rated equine See You At Peelers remained unbeaten with a track record performance in a division of Saturday night’s $145,208 New York Sire Stakes feature at Vernon Downs
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One race after Mystical Gypsy had tied the previous 1:51.2 track mark for three-year-old filly pacers in Saturday’s eighth event, See You At Peelers ($2.10), the U.S. Trotting Association’s Horse of the Month for June, toured Vernon’s seven-eighths mile oval in 1:51.1, establishing a new speed standard for her age, sex and gait here and keeping her career record unblemished after 19 starts.
Marcus Johansson drove for trainer Jimmy Takter as the brilliant daughter of Bettors Delight-West Side Glory took charge after a :26.2 opening quarter and zipped through additional splits of :55.2 and 1:23.4 en route to a two and three-quarter length victory, her sixth of the season. The career-winner of more than $1.2 million is shared in ownership by Christina Takter (Jimmy’s wife), along with John D. and Jim H. Fielding of Toronto, Ont.
In addition to Mystical Gypsy’s (Bettors Delight-Under Your Spell) speedy score for the Mystical Marker Farms, Mary Jane Anderson and Shim Racing contingent, Saturday’s other NYSS divisions were won by Miss Annie J (Bettors Delight-Musical Dreamer) in 1:53.1 for owner Ken Jacobs, and Tea Party Princess (Art Major-Hannah Banana) in 1:52 for owner Brad Gray.
The five-year-old Diamond Stick Pin produced a front-striding 1:51.1 victory in Saturday’s $10,000 sixth session, the week’s Open-1 test, that tied the track’s record for aged pacing horses, established by Going To The Beach in 2:00.2.
With Ray Schnittker in the sulky, Tuffofthetoughest turned in a 1:52.2 tally in Saturday’s $8,000 seventh session, the week’s Open-2 contest.
(With files from Vernon Downs)