Jason Bartlett made the most of his visit yesterday afternoon at Monticello Raceway, scoring a win in a New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) and one Excelsior event. He also picked up two winning catch drives to give him a grand slam on the afternoon card. He scored in four consecutive races.
The first $55,900 division of NYSS for three-year-old male trotters, which was already a short field, was whittled even more with the scratch of Middleman, making it a three-horse contest. Chapheart was slowly grinding his way to the front end in the middle of the first turn when Castle House, the betting favourite, made a break and knocked himself out of contention. Trond Smedshammer, driving Chapheart, controlled the tempo for the remainder of the race. Jordan Stratton, aboard Velvet Style, caught up to Chapheart and, as they hit the 1:29.2 third quarter mark, Velvet Style pulled and sat outside of Chapheart the entire way to the wire, but was unable to catch the leader, who tripped the beam in 1:58.1.
The win for Chapheart was his second in NYSS company this season for owner Purple Haze Stable and pushed the son of Chapter Seven over $100,000 in earnings this year. He is also trained by Smedshammer.
The second $57,000 division was also a short field of just five. Bartlett went down the road in a 3-1/2-length win in 1:58.4 aboard Quincy Market. The victory was the second on the season following an Excelsior score last time out for the Nicholas Devita trainee. The 2-5 favourite, Tantra Blue Chip, made a break at the five-eighths marker and took himself out of contention. Perfect Titan (Jordan Stratton) was second, followed by Grand Spa (Jim Taggart Jr.).
In Excelsior action, Dan Daley won with Grey Clouds in a wire-to-wire score in 1:58.4, returning $11.60 to win. The son of Chapter Seven is owned by Ann-Mari and Jared Dailey. The win was his third of the season.
With Bartlett driving, Makadushin N Cheez (Conway Hall) made short work in the second division, scoring a 4-1/2-length win in 1:58.3. The win was his fifth win on the year for trainer David Dewhurst, who co-owns with Joseph D'Agostino, Molly D'Agostino and Philip Kadushin.
Chris Petrelli had a training double with Special Achiever (Mike Merton), who scored in 1:56 by a neck to extend her winning streak to seven in a row since being claimed on May 9. Petrelli also scored with Dreamfair Helena (Jason Bartlett) in 1:56.4.
Jim Taggart Jr. drove back-to-back wins with Lovin Miss Daisy N and Glamorgal.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)