Hunt Off The Press ($4.20) captured the featured $155,694 New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) event for two-year-old pacing colts & geldings at Vernon Downs on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Fragment (Mark Herschberger) grabbed the lead and led to the first quarter in a sizzling :25.4, then slowed things down with a :29.1 second quarter to be first to the half in :55. Quickaway (Braxten Boyd) came first up to challenge going around the final turn, pressing Fragment through three quarters of 1:23.1, with Hunt Off The Press and driver Tyler Buter watching that action from the pocket.
As they reached the stretch, Quickaway took a short lead but Hunt Off The Press found an opening on the inside to squeeze through and by to win in a lifetime best of 1:52.1. Quickaway was a length back in second, while Knoxville (Mark MacDonald) finishing third.
Hunt Off The Press is a two-year-old gelding by Huntsville-Off The Press, owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock and trained by Jared Bako. He now has four wins and two runner-up finishes in six lifetime starts.
Two Excelsior Series divisions were also contested on Saturday; winners were River Ranch Dawson (1:54.4; $2.90) and Jericho Johnny (1:55.2; $4.10).
Smoken Bob prevailed in the Shari, Carol, and Howard (Sr.) Okusko Memorial Pace, while Rubyndiamond was best in the Oliver Peterson Memorial Fillies & Mares’ Pace.
Vernon Downs returns to Live harness racing returns to Vernon on Friday, Aug. 22 with a first post time of 5:05 p.m.
(with files from Vernon Downs)