It was first day at kindergarten at Goshen Historic Track on Saturday as seven divisions of Landmark Stakes for two-year-olds were contested
. Many of the contenders earned their first cheques, including two from the Linda Toscano stable.
In a $6,236 Landmark division for two-year-old pacing colts, Major Way made quick work of the field. Leading from wire-to-wire and driven by Jordan Stratton, he crossed the quarter mile in :29.4, the half in 1:02.2 and the three quarters in 1:31.4. Major Way stopped the clock in 2:01.4, winning by 2-1/2 lengths for owner Kenneth Jacobs of Baldwinsville, NY.
“He’s a nice little guy, he’s done everything right all winter long,” said trainer Linda Toscano. “I know he’s perfect for the half mile track, which is just what we want for the New York Sire Stakes. He’s slick-gaited, he’s got quick speed and he’s really very, very nicely mannered. We’re shuffling off to Buffalo (for the first round of juvenile New York Sire Stakes) next.”
Toscano was quick to give credit to owner Kenneth Jacobs for selecting the colt as a yearling.
“I don’t pick ‘em,” she said. “Ken picks out his own horses, he always has. Once in a blue moon, he’ll ask me to look at a horse, but I never saw this horse until he sent him to me. He’s done nothing wrong. Ken has an incredible record of picking out his own.”
The Toscano–Jacobs partnership was back in the winner’s circle in another Landmark two-year-old pacing colt division winner in Thomas J. The son of Artiscape-Perfect Purchase also went wire-to-wire, this time with Steve Smith at the reins. The fractions were :29.1, 1:00.3, 1:29.4 and 1:59.2 for the mile. He won by 8-1/2 lengths.
“I actually picked this one out,” said Toscano. “It happened very different from what normally happens. Ken was at Morrisville Sale, trying not to buy a horse. I saw this colt and I talked him in to going down to look at him. When he went to look him he said, ‘OK, I like him, I’m going to buy him,’ and he did.”
Thomas J. is trending upwards after giving Toscano a hard winter. “He’s been very, very lazy and a difficult horse to kind of get going,” she said. “I love when this happens – in the last month, month and a half, he started to figure it out and started to go faster and he got better and better. That’s usually a good sign. This was really a pleasant surprise. I expected him to be OK. I didn’t expect him to be this good.”
Racing resumes at Goshen Historic Track on Sunday, July 4 at 1 p.m., with New York-bred races and the Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Memorial Trot, in which every driver is a Hall of Famer.
Slated to race are Jim Doherty, Cat Manzi, Ron Waples, Bill O’Donnell, Herve Filion, Mike Lachance, Wally Hennessey and Dave Palone, who will be inducted on Sunday evening in to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. The drivers will greet the public and sign photos after the race. For more information on the racing program, click here.