Doctor Butch, driven by Pat Berry, posted the most impressive win in one of three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old colt pacers on Friday night at Tioga Downs.
Starting from post position number four, Berry hustled Doctor Butch to the front past an opening quarter in :27. From there his biggest challenger, Bet The Moon (Jim Marohn Jr.), sat on his back through fractions of :56 and 1:23.4. Around the final turn, Berry asked Doctor Butch for more and the two-year-old responded impressively pacing a final panel of :28.1 to win in 1:52, establishing a new lifetime mark.
The win was the fifth win in seven starts for the son of Art Major–Classical Yankee, who with the victory increased his seasonal earnings to more than $155,000. Linda Toscano trains Doctor Butch for Ken Jacobs, who purchased the colt for $55,000 as a yearling.
Berry also captured the first division in the first race of the night with Deny Deny Deny for Toscano and Jacobs. Leaving from post position number one in a field of seven, Berry placed the son of Art Major–Fool For You on the lead past a quarter in :28. From there Berry set comfortable fractions of :57.1 and 1:25 before holding off late pressure from Artist Night (Jim Meittinis) to win in 1:53.2. The mile was a new lifetime mark for Deny Deny Deny, who captured his second victory in six starts and increased his earnings to more than $96,000.
In the second division, Thirty Two Red and Ray Schnittker carved out fractions of :27, :56.1, and 1:25 before cruising away in the stretch to win in 1:53.4. The victory was the fourth of the year for the son of Bettors Delight–Sakura Hanover, who was purchased for $70,000 by the partnership of Schnittker, Theodore Gewertz, Steven Arnold, and Mal And Janet Burroughs.
(With files from Tioga Downs)