Driver Mark MacDonald and trainer Ray Schnittker teamed up to win four dashes on Saturday's (July 5) 11-race program at Goshen Historic Track. including two New York Excelsior Series events and two Landmark Stakes.
The tandem's first win came in a $27,027 Excelsior event for three-year-old pacing fillies, in which MacDonald used Huntsville-Worldly Treasure filly Huntingfortreasure early from post eight to secure a close stalking spot behind stablemate Cervi (driven by Schnittker) through fractions of :28.2, :56.4 and 1:26.2 before emerging in upper stretch to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56 for owner-breeder Steve Jones.
They came right back to win a $27,027 Excelsior section for three-year-old male pacers, doing so with Holt Hanover, who controlled the pace through splits of :27.3, :57 and 1:25.4 before keeping American Son at bay by three-quarters of a length to win in 1:54.2. Schnittker co-owns the Huntsville-Heart Major colt with Joe Sbrocco, Gunjan Patel and Gewertz Latore Palumbo.
MacDonald and Schnittker swept the Landmark Stakes for sophomore fillies, taking the $10,237 pace with Bronx Mixer in 1:55.4 and the $6,554 trot with Shes A Shoe In in 1:58.
Jason Bartlett again scored a driving triple, highlighted by World Of Wishes' 1:54.1 win over eight rivals in the $26,351 Landmark for three-year-old male pacers. The Chris Ryder-trained son of Bettors Wish-Peak Of Chic controlled fractions of :29.2, :58.1 and 1:26.4 before sprinting home in :27.2 to evade runner-up Bitcoin Hanover's inside rally by three lengths for owner Philip Steinberg.
Gimlet Hanover and owner-trainer-driver D.R. Ackerman captured the other Landmark event, repelling Karinchak on the far turn to win the $10,878 three-year-old male trot in 2:04.1.
The fastest mile of the day was authored by Baleville Bomber, riding the pocket behind Ima Perfect Choice through splits of :28.4, :56.1 and 1:24.1 before emerging late to win his Excelsior division for male pacers by a head in 1:52.2 with Bartlett in tow. Nicholas DeVita trains the Huntsville-Actress Hanover gelding for David Hamm, Glenn Phillips and the DeVita Racing Stable.
The 2025 Grand Circuit meet at Goshen Historic Track concludes Sunday (July 6) with an eight-race program. First post is 1 p.m.
(Goshen Historic Track)