Trainer Jared Bako and driver Doug McNair made their presence felt at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 1, sweeping the New York Sire Stakes races contested for two-year-old pacing fillies.
The heavily-backed Cowgirl Hanover (Huntsville-Code One Hanover; pictured above) has been a complete force since kicking off her career back in June and carried a record of four-for-four with her into Thursday’s try in her Sire Stakes event. Cowgirl Hanover was patient in the early going of that $103,472 test before McNair cut her loose past the half. Although the leader Chanceoflightning (Wally Hennessey) continued to pace on with authority, her attempt at holding off the big favourite was futile as the Bako trainee dazzled through a third quarter of 27.4 en route to a 1:54.2 score that came by a margin of 2-1/2 lengths. Chanceoflightning finished second to the 1-9 choice while Shes A Streaker (Jordan Stratton) earned the show spot.
Bako and McNair connected in the first division as well when The Last Martini (Huntsville-Martinique) sprung a mild upset in her $101,528 Sire Stakes race. McNair situated The Last Martini into the pocket in the early going to ride the coattails of the heavily favoured Send It Down Slim (Mark MacDonald). That 1-9 favourite carved out the fractions for the freshman fillies and had her way on the front-end before being confronted around the final turn by The Last Martini, who wound up getting the last laugh cruising by in the stretch to score in 1:54.1. Owned by Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Ingersoll, Ont., The Last Martini paid $12.80 to win in the slight upset of the big favourite Send It Down Slim who finished a solid second. Lonely Ghost (Jordan Stratton) was third.
Making his debut at Saratoga, McNair finished the day with two wins in two appearances.
Live racing continues on Friday, Aug. 2 at Saratoga with action beginning at 5 p.m.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)