Royal Deceptor set sail from the rail and kept right on going into the Buffalo Raceway record book Wednesday with a stunning 1:59.3 to highlight the action in the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
The time absolutely shattered the previous mark of 2:01.2 set by Timothy Patrick in 2012 and tied by The Lindy Treaty in 2013. It was the sixth track record either broken or tied at Buffalo Raceway during the 2014 season.
Others registering wins in the $27,250 divisions of the Sire Stakes were Stoneham, Gabe The Bear Dean and Pier Ho Exotic.
But the star of night was Royal Deceptor (RC Royalty-Art Of Deception), an $11,000 purchase at the Morrisville Sale.
"I was holding my breath going into that first turn because we were going so fast,” said driver Michael McGivern. “After that, he really settled down and I never pulled the plugs."
"That race was beyond our wildest dreams,” said owner Chip Foster. “I was thinking we might have a chance for a track record, maybe going 2:01 but 1:59.3. Wow. The last quarter was :28.4. I think we are going to have a target on our back now, but it's a good target to have."
Mike Sentiwany, Jr. and MJ James also have a share in Royal Deceptor, who set the record in his first pari-mutuel start.
Insomniac (Jason Bartlett) finished in second, 3-1/4 lengths behind while Wings Of Royalty (Chris Lems) took the show spot.
The first division was a survival of the fittest. Stoneham (Riina Rekila) was a beneficiary of a breaking pace-setting Eskimo Joe in the stretch and managed to score the $17.80 victory in 2:04.4.
A total of four trotters went off stride as the gate swung open, leaving Stoneham, Curlys Son and Eskimo Joe (Ray Schnittker) as the trio alive for the win. Eskimo Joe set the fractions of :31.2, 1:03 and 1:34.2 and looked home free in the stretch but jumped it off and finished in third. The unfortunate miscue allowed Stoneham (Lucky Chucky-Toss Up) to cruise on by for the victory while Curlys Son (Dan Daley) took second place.
Stoneham is owned by Overseas Farms LTD and is trained by Rekila.
The third division saw former Buffalo Raceway regular Ray Schnittker zoom wire-to-wire with Gabe The Bear Dean ($6.00).
Setting the fractions of :31.4, 1:03.1 and 1:33.4, Gabe The Bear Dean had no trouble in trotting away from the field of seven in 2:03.3, easily beating Tango Pirate (Truman Gale) by 8-3/4 lengths while Crazy Levi (Jeff Gregory) was third.
Gabe The Bear Dean (Lucky Chucky-Madam Hooch) is owned by Schnittker and the Minix Stables.
John Cummings, Jr. also returned to Buffalo Raceway and used a first-over brush with Pier Ho Exotic ($17.80) and claim the final leg in a solid 2:01.3, the second fastest time of the night in the Sire Stakes.
Pier Ho Exotic (Conway Hall-Rose Run Exotic) took the lead past the three-quarter marker and cruised past a stubborn Redneck Royalty (Howard Okusko, Jr.) and won by a length. Luck Of Macrea (Ray Fisher, Jr.) took the show position.
Megan Wilson trains Pier Ho Exotic for owner Cummings, Jr.
In the Excelsior Class A races, both worth $12,500, Guilty Man ($11.40) took the first division in 2:03 for driver Dan Daley and Progession ($13.80) went the mile in 2:05.4 for Tyler Raymer in the second leg.
The $6,500 non-betting Excelsior B race went to Global Revolution in 2:05.1 for Daley.
The weekly $10,500 Open Pace for Fillies and Mares saw Ugly Betty (Bartlett) use a strong stretch drive and collar the front-stepping Case Solved (Jim Morrill Jr.) by a half length in 1:54.4. CS Kentucky (Kevin Cummings) finished in third.
Owned by Margaret Payne and Jennifer Falcone, the Dennis Dylo-trained Ugly Betty has now won seven times in 21 starts in 2014 and has earned $48,423.
(Buffalo Raceway)