Freshman trotting fillies got their turn racing in four divisions as New York Sire Stakes action continued Friday night at America’s oldest lighted harness track.
Friday night’s program also featured four divisions of the $12,000 plus Excelsior series.
The four NYSS divisions were carded as races two, four, seven and nine. Each division offered purse money of more than $29,000.
The fastest of the four NYSS divisions came in race two when the Cash Hall-My Babys Momma filly Barn Babe sparkled in victory.
Barn Babe, with local reinsman John Cummings Jr. in the bike, scored from post three and settled in third before brushing to the top in :29.3. Once on the lead she simply cruised around the racetrack as nobody could get near her setting fractions of :59.4 and 1:30.2. The Steve Pratt trainee trotted a :29.1 final stanza enroute to a two and three-quarter length score in 1:59.3. The pocket-sitting Playful Credit (Jim Morrill Jr.) wound up second while Vixen (Stephane Bouchard), who closed from far back, finished third.
Barn Babe, who is also owned by Steve Pratt, notched her third of the season and raised her lifetime earnings to $63,896.
“Steve's done a great job with her,” Cummings Jr. said. “He had her really good tonight.”
Fifty Shades, a daughter of Malabar Man-Spellbound Hanover, notched her first lifetime win in her $29,800 NYSS division carded as race four.
With Batavia Downs leading dash driver Shawn Gray at the controls for trainer Ross Croghan, Fifty Shades left from post two and made the front as the field hit the quarter in :29.4. Once on the lead Fifty Shades rated nicely hitting the half in 1:00.3 and three-quarters in 1:31. Fifty Shades continued to pile on the score as she widened to a three and a half length score in 1:59.4 for owners Let it Ride Shades, Robert Cooper Stables and Joseph Myers.
Crazy Grigio (Stephane Bouchard) rallied along the passing lane to be second while Lola De Vie (Steve Smith) who had a two-hole trip ended up third. The win increased Fifty Shades bankroll to $37,304.
The other NYSS winners were:
Bouncing Bax (Credit Winner-Bax Machine) for driver-trainer Jim Raymer. Bouncing Bax trotted to her first career win in 2:00 for owners Harbor Racing Stable.
Order by Credit (Credit Winner-Hostess) with Jim Morrill Jr. driving for trainer Jimmy Takter. Order by Credit scored in wire-to-wire fashion in 2:01.1 for her second win of the season for owner Order By Stable.
In addition to some top performances by the trotting fillies, reinsman Jim Morrill Jr. has a pretty remarkable evening as well when he guided home eight winners on the 13-race program including taking all four Excelsior Series races.
The New York Sires Stakes season continues on Sunday afternoon August 19 when three-year-old filly pacing fillies get their turn. Live racing continues on Saturday night with a 6:25 p.m. post time and Sunday afternoon with a 1:15 post.
(Batavia Downs)