Archon made two moves to the front and produced a sharp final quarter to capture the $155,694 leg of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for freshman trotting colts and geldings on Sunday, August 16 at Tioga Downs.
Dan Daley pushed Archon to the early lead from post three in a :28 first quarter, then ceded the front to Hypersonic (Ake Svanstedt) to sit the two-hole past a :57.1 half. Archon popped the pocket down the backside and easily cleared Hypersonic before three-quarters in 1:26, then opened up 2-1/2 lengths on Uncle Rob (Andy Miller) to complete a 1:54.4 victory over the track labelled good. Bigtime Chapter (Mattias Melander) finished third.
Archon, a son of Chapter Seven-Queen Paige, got off the schneid in his fifth start. The colt broke in his prior two starts, then had a solid second-place qualifying effort for trainer Daley before Sunday's win. He has now earned $119,052 for owners James Crawford IV, Timothy Drag and Rich Preziotti. The win price was $13.20.
Trainer Cameron Capone tripled on the 15-race program, with Ocean Storm ($6.18) leading the trio with a victory in one of three $27,778 New York Excelsior Series divisions for two-year-old male trotters. The Chapter Seven-Empressive Hill colt was backsteamed while second-over, then swung off cover turning for home and charged to victory by two lengths in 1:56.3. Vandiemen Bluechip ($13.98) and Bettors Donttell ($5.16) also won for the Capone barn. Fifth-year trainer Capone has sent out 46 winners this year from 262 starts.
The Devious Man-Ophelia colt Deviophelia ($9.50) cut the mile in the second Excelsior division in a 1:58 victory by 3-1/2 lengths for driver Leon Bailey and trainer Jessica Okusko.
Betelgeusebluechip ($2.56) was 7-1/4 lengths the best in 1:58.3 over a track downgraded to good in the third Excelsior division. Tyler Buter piloted the son of Crazy Wow-Tamgo Donato for trainer Rob Harmon.
Braxten Boyd and Mitchell Cushing had driving hat tricks on the 15-race program. Driver Leon Bailey and trainer Michelle Warner doubled.
Tioga Downs will host its next card on Friday, Aug. 21, starting at 6:15 p.m.
(With files from Tioga Downs)