It was closing day at Buffalo Raceway Sunday afternoon (July 20) and the two-year-old filly trotters in the New York Sire Stakes tried but couldn't beat their divisional track record of 2:00.2 held by Munis Blue Chip from 2009.
So while the standard still stands tall, there were some good efforts with the fastest times of the four $27,251 divisions going to Betcha and Barn Doll, who covered the mile over the fast track in 2:01.2. The other winners were Cherry Crown Jewel (2:02.2) and Miss Bville J (2:02).
In the opening division, Cherry Crown Jewel inherited the lead after Counselor AS (Jeff Gregory) broke stride around the second turn and was never threatened the rest of the way.
"I really didn't want Jeff's horse [Counselor AS] to get the lead, but when they broke, we got back on top and it was nice and easy then," said winning driver/trainer Dan Daley. "She's a nice filly and could do well in the Sire Stakes."
Cherry Crown Jewel ($11.40) was easily able to hold off the mild rally mounted by second place finisher Dancewithme Chuck (Charlie Norris), who finished one and a half lengths back, while Stories To Tell (Chris Lems) trotted into third. The winning time was 2:02.2 and it was the first win in three starts for Cherry Crown Jewel (RC Royalty-Nowerland Kristen).
Daley made it two straight in the Sire Stakes when he guided Betcha ($4.40) to an convincing three-quarter length triumph over Stirling Debutant (Rick Zeron) in 2:01.2 in the second leg. The win was the second straight in Sire Stakes for Betcha.
It was a perfectly rated journey for Betcha (Cash Hall-Sienna) as she followed the live cover of Stirling Debutant and exploded three-wide through the stretch to score the victory by an expanding three-quarters of a length in 2:01.2.
Daley said of Betcha, "We didn't think she'd be anything special, but she keeps chugging along and wants to be a race horse."
Barn Doll (Gregory) was much the best in the third division as smartly trotted past Kaliska (Ray Schnittker) under little urging and posted the two length decision in 2:01.2. Zanna Blu (Gates Brunet) rolled into the show position.
"She's a very well-mannered filly," Gregory said of Barn Doll. "She's done everything they've asked of her. They [owners Purple Haze Stables and Steven and Nancy Pratt] are going to make a lot of money with her."
The victory was the third in four career starts for Barn Doll (Conway Hall-Headintheclouds) and increased her seasonal earnings to $36,357.
The final division saw Miss Bville J (Jim Morrill Jr.) use the 'lightning lane' and beat the front-stepping Northern Obession (Schnittker) by a neck in 2:02.
Northern Obession set the tempo with times of :30.3, 1:01.4 and 1:32.2, but had Miss Bville J ($4.70) breathing down her neck the entire mile. In the lane, Morrill Jr. dropped Miss Bville inside and she responded to post the neck victory.
Owned by KJ Stables and trained by Tracy Brainard, Miss Bville J (RC Royalty-South Jersey Angel) made her first trip to the winner's circle in three tries.
In the $12,600 Excelsior Class A races, Define Royalty (Chris Lems) took the first division in 2:04 and returned $4.20. Barn Girl (Gregory) won the second leg in 2:02.1 and paid $4.60, while in the last leg, The Cuse pulled the surprise ($13.20) as John Stark Jr. sent the winner wire-to-wire in 2:03.2.
The $6,700 Excelsior B series race was won by Untangled Cash (Gregory) in 2:05.1 and the winner paid $4.10.
The live racing schedule is now completed for the 2014 season. Simulcasting will continue throughout the remainder of the year at Buffalo Raceway with live racing expected resume in January of 2015.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)