Three-year-olds were the stars of the show Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs as the oval hosted the finals of the Empire Breeders Classic for male and female pacers. Shebestingin and Vegas Vacation came away victorious in their rich tilts, and both pacers added their names to the record books in the process.
Shebestingin steamrolled over the eight foes she faced in the $250,750 final of the Empire Breeders Classic for the three-year-old pacing fillies. David Miller got away fourth with the 1-5 favourite while Ballineen marched to the top and sliced out an opening panel of :26.1. Miller was on the move in the second quarter, however, and he quickly grabbed the lead before the half flashed up in :55. She continued to lead the group to the three-quarter pole in 1:21.3 before using a :27.2 closing quarter to win in a career-best clocking of 1:49. Ballineen was second, with Road Bet finishing third.
The 1:49 score was a personal best for the filly, and more notably it was a new stakes and track record and it matched Economy Terror’s world record.
“Three weeks ago she had had a corn in her foot that had been bothering her, but that seems to be taken care of now,” said trainer Joe Holloway. “I know she was ready for a big mile, and I just hoped she could prove what I think of her because I think she’s one of the best if not the best. We have to race Nitelife [I Luv The Nitelife] a couple of times before we can make that claim.”
The daughter of Bettors Delight-Armbro Tussle won for the seventh time in 11 starts this season, while her lifetime record improved to 10-3-0 from 14 starts. Val Dor Farms, Ted Gewertz and L And L Devisser LLC share ownership on the career winner of $343,325.
Vegas Vacation didn’t let a first-over trip stand between him and the winner’s circle in the $257,250 final of the Empire Breeders Classic for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The son of Bettors Delight-Dont You Smile got away fourth for driver Brian Sears, who watched Sir Carys Z Tam and Sunfire Blue Chip battle to the quarter pole in :26.4 before the latter cleared to the front. Sears went into attack mode in front of the grandstand with Vegas Vacation, and he pressed fellow elimination winner Sunfire Blue Chip through middle splits of :55.4 and 1:21.3 before edging away from that foe in the lane. Vegas Vacation used a :27-second closing quarter to win in 1:48.3 over Sunfire Blue Chip and Sir Carys Z Tam.
The 1:48.3 score matched the pacer’s lifetime mark, and it shaved one fifth of a second off the former track and stakes record. It also tied the world record held by Alsace Hanover and Beach Memories.
“He was really on his toes today, I couldn’t be any happier,” said driver Brian Sears. “He got his trip, and like I said first over is a good spot on this track especially the way this horse likes to race. It just worked out perfect. He’s been knocking at the door in a lot of these big races, and I don’t see why he can’t end up on the right side of it one of these nights.”
“He finally got a real nice win here with a track record mile,” said trainer/co-owner Casie Coleman. “I’ve really been wanting to try to hit a little bit of New York Sires Stakes to get eligible to that final for $250,000, but I’m not going to. I’m going to give him next week off instead of going to Saratoga to get him ready for the Cane Pace next.”
West Wins Stable, Adriano Sorella, Anthony Beaton and Phyllis Saunders own the seven-time winner who improved his 2013 record to 6-3-1 with the victory. The lion’s share of Sunday’s purse boosted his overall cash stash to $561,376.