Isabella Gal displayed her speed and superiority with a 1:56.2 triumph in the fastest of eight divisions during Thursday night’s $182,186 program for New York-bred two-year-old trotting fillies at Vernon Downs.
Competing in the second division of Thursday’s $118,286 regular New York Sires Stake, Isabella Gal earned her second straight score with a career-best performance in the ninth race that was just two fifths of a second off the Vernon record for this age, sex and gait. Jim Morrill, Jr. did the steering for part-owner and trainer Jeffrey Long as the brown daughter of RC Royalty-Tango Hall took over the lead from Single Sock after the half, timed in :57.3, and motored to a 3-3/4 length tally over the on-rushing Crazy Grigio.
The determined distaffer has accumulated two wins and a second, plus earnings of $26,146 for Long and his partners John Buettner, Robert and Lynn Brooks.
Thursday’s other NYSS winners were Palm Beach Chic (Conway Hall-Back On Track), in 1:58 with part-owner Jeff Gregory driving for his partner William H. Richardson and trainer Linda Toscano, and Barn Babe (Cash Hall-My Babys Momma), in 1:59.4 with John Cummings, Jr. at the controls for owner and trainer Steven Pratt.
New Scent (1:59.4) and Pretty Crazy (1:59.4) tied for fastest mile honours in Thursday’s $63,900 Excelsior Series segments. New Scent (Malabar Man-Dior Kosmos) earned her maiden victory with Jimmy Whittemore driving for owner/trainer Joseph Flynn and Edward Flynn, while Pretty Crazy (Crazed-Pretty May Flowers) was securing her third tally in four tries with Morrill, Jr. teaming for trainer Brandon Simpson and his ownership partners Peggy Hood, Dirk Simpson and the Mystical Marker Farms.
Also finishing first in Thursday’s Excelsior events were There Goes My Baby (Malabar Man-Hot Chili Girl) in 2:00.4 with Chris Lems driving for trainer George Ducharme, and owners Paul Fontaine and Alfred Ross; Dancing Louisa (RC Royalty-Supreme Decision), in 2:01.1 with trainer Dan Daley teaming for Todd Van Alstyne and Margaret Waterbury, and Vixen (Conway Hall-Gracious Marla) with Stephane Bouchard steering for trainer David Jannone and owners Albert C & Michelle C. Crawford, and James A. Crawford, IV.
Elleofnxample kicked home from fourth at the head of the stretch to nip the mile-cutting Pay Tribute by a neck in Thursday’s $10,500 first race, the week’s Open for female pacers. Todd Frocione drove for his dad, owner Lon Frocione, and trainer Tony Mondi as the fleet-footed six-year-old mare equaled her 1:51.4 lifetime mark while recording her fourth season’s score and 18th lifetime victory.
(Vernon Downs)