There were two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for three-year-old pacing fillies contested on a Saturday, July 13 card in which history was made at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
Brett Beckwith, who is well on his way to his first ever driving championship at the Spa, piloted one of the winners of the $115,069 NYSS divisions when he guided Camerican to victory for trainer Ron Burke. The stakes score behind the sophomore filly was one of eight wins on the card for Beckwith, who matched the previous mark of eight for the most by a driver on any card in track history. Frank Coppola Jr., the winningest driver in track history, piloted eight winners on a Sunday afternoon in November 2008.
On Saturday, Beckwith made eight trips to the winner’s circle, highlighted by the score in the Sire Stakes with Camerican. That filly by American Ideal out of the Camluck mare, Camille, recorded her third victory in six seasonal starts when she stopped the timer in 1:53.2. The 6-5 second choice in the wagering, Camerican held off a late challenge from the favoured Peace Talks (Wally Hennessey) en route to the score. She is a homebred campaigned by Burke Racing Stable, Lawrence Karr, M1 Stable and Jack B Piatt III.
The other stakes winner was A Few Choice Words (Courtly Choice-Top Choice Hanover), who pulled off a mild upset with Jim Marohn Jr. in the sulky. Getting a pocket ride behind the heavily favoured Tarrific (Hennessey), A Few Choice Words pounced on the leader in the stretch to prevail by a neck in 1:54.1 at odds of 7-1. Blake MacIntosh trains the filly whose win was her fifth in eight seasonal tries but her first in the “big time” Sire Stakes after having dominated in the Excelsior Series. She is owned by Clancy Farms of Severn, Ont.
Beckwith’s eight wins on the evening included four trained by his father, Mark. They were Oer The Ramparts, Ourrhythmnblues N, Pace N Pride N and Little Willy.
The hot-handed reinsman also drove Open winner Im No Outlaw for trainer Jackie Greene as well as Lady Saturn, an Excelsior Series division winner for the Michelle Crawford stable, and the George Ducharme-trained Printville.
Live harness racing resumes at Saratoga on Thursday evening with first post time set for 5 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel; Photo of Brett Beckwith from a previous win)