The undefeated Ill Have The Red made it two straight stakes scores to start her career as she dominated the $73,288 New York Sire Stakes first division for two-year-old trotting fillies for the father-son team of Rick and Scott Zeron on Sunday, July 13 at Tioga Downs.
Overalls (Jordan Stratton) sprinted off the gate and led to the quarter in :28.1 before Ill Have The Red, driven by Scott Zeron, took command heading to the clubhouse turn and led to the half in :58.1. She remained in control to three-quarters in 1:27.1 and took off on the final turn, sprinting clear to a 7-1/4-length victory in 1:56. Jula Hot To Chill (Tyler Buter) was a distant second. Grace In Heaven (Brett Beckwith) finished third.
Ill Have The Red, a Grand Circuit stakes winner with her debut victory in the Tompkins-Geers on June 26, is perfect in two outings. Rick Zeron trains the daughter of Chapter Seven-Shishito, a $94,595 Lexington purchase. The filly is owned by Rick Zeron Stables of Oakville, Ont., James Walker of Port Perry, Ont., and Johnny Marvento of Montreal, Que.
Scott Zeron completed a driving sweep of the NYSS divisions as he won the $73,288 second split with Nezuko Kamado S.
Nezuko Kamado S sat third as Storybook Love (Todd Ratchford) set first-half panels of :28.1 and :58.2. Nezuko Kamado S made her move first-up going down the backstretch, reached the front before three-quarters in 1:26.3, and made it a race for second as she kicked away to break her maiden in 1:55.3. Sharp Seven (Jeff Gregory) finished second, two lengths back of the winner, with Storybook Love third.
Nezuko Kamado S, owned and bred by Courant Inc. of Delray Beach, Fla., is a two-year-old filly by Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos It. Marcus Melander trains the rookie, who is one-for-two lifetime.
Scott Zeron also took the third of three $27,397 Excelsior Series divisions on the card. He steered Makeittothebell to a 4-1/4-length, 1:59 victory, the first in three starts for the Chapter Seven-Alanas Brilliance filly. George Ducharme trains her for FTM Racing Stable LLC.
R Ro bounced back from a break in her debut as she won the first Excelsior contest, providing the fractions a 2:01 mile with Tyler Buter driving for trainer John Butenschoen and lessee M&L of Delaware/Armitage Farm. The daughter of Chapter Seven-Barn Girl was three-quarters of a length up at the finish.
Elqueen was the only repeat winner in the Excelsior, taking the second division by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:57.3. Jason Bartlett drove the E L Titan-Queen Of More filly for Ducharme, who trains for Purple Haze Stables LLC. She has won two of three lifetime starts, all in the Excelsior.
Live racing will continue at Tioga Downs on Friday, July 18 with a post time of 6:15 p.m.
(Tioga Downs & Standardbred Canada)