It was a big stake day at Batavia Downs on Sunday (Aug. 2) as an all-New York Sire Stake (NYSS) card of racing featured two- and three-year-old trotting fillies vying in four divisions for a total of $213,400 in purses.
The highlight of the day was Love A Good Story (Chapter Seven-Celebrity Lovin) who took the second $55,000 division for three-year-olds in memorable style.
Driver Andy Miller floated Love A Good Story off the gate and dropped in third while Without A Warning got to the quarter in :27.4. Positions remained unchanged in the throttled-down :30.2 second panel until Love A Good Story pulled first over as she made her way into the turn.
Past the five eighths, Love A Good Story drew alongside Without A Warning and the two trotted side-by-side up the backstretch and to the three-quarters in 1:26.2. The match race continued around the last turn and down the lane when Love A Good Story got the edge with Miller urging her on and hit the wire in 1:55.1.
The time was a track record for three-year-old trotting fillies, besting the standard of 1:55.4 set by Quincy Blue Chip just last year.
It was the 10th win in 15 starts for Love A Good Story, who has now earned $400,484 for owners the Pinske Stables, the Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Daniel Plouffe. Julie Miller trains the $2.50 winner.
Love A Good Story was bred by Celebrity Farms and was a $90,000 Lexington Selected yearling purchase.
The first $54,000 split had an abbreviated four-horse field that saw Island Lily (Chapter Seven-Up Front Hotsey) dominate.
Tom Jackson put Island Lily on the front and then led at every station with Destiny Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) on her back. After fractions of :29, :58.4 and 1:28.2, Destiny Blue Chip pulled the pocket and took a run at the leader in the turn. But Island Lily headed for home and trotted away clear to an easy four-and-a-half length victory in 1:57.2.
It was the first win for Island Lily, who was unraced at two. Fred Grant both owns and trains the filly who paid $4.90 to win.
Island Lily was bred by Noel Daley and Up Front Racing and sold for $70,000 at the Harrisburg yearling sale.
The freshman class saw the best performance come in the second $52,200 division from Destined To Dance (Chapter Seven-Go Go Dancer), who dropped in fourth from post 7 as Eliza B scooted to the quarter in :29. With four horses breaking early, the field was now in two groups with the top quad playing follow the leader to the half.
Past the five-eighths Just Joshing came from third and made a move for the lead while Destined To Dance was still a gapped fourth. But after they entered the final bend, Tyler Buter hit the gas and Destined To Dance responded in dynamic fashion. Still three lengths off the lead, Destined To Dance dug in hard and with a full head of steam, flew down the stretch with ease while reeling off a :28.1 quarter to win by one-and-a-half lengths in 1:59.1.
It was the third consecutive win, all in NYSS action, for Destined To Dance ($3.80) who is owned by Heritage Standardbreds, Crawford Farms Racing and Rich Prezzioti. John Butenshoen trains the winner.
Destined To Dance was bred by Crawford Farms and sold for $100,000 at the Lexington Selected yearling sale.
The complexion of the final $52,200 division changed quickly as post time favourite No Pay No Way broke going for the lead. But Ake Svanstedt was happy to take her place when he guided Broad Strokes (Chapter Seven-Lady Marian) to the front and then never looked back. Broad Strokes slowed the half down to 1:01.1 as no one challenged and Svanstedt continued to grab leather into the second circuit.
Credit Income finally advanced on the outside and got within a length of Broad Strokes in the final turn and the two were on a breakaway. Broad Strokes and Credit Income traded leads all the way down to the wire where Broad Strokes got a slight advantage and won by 1/4 length in 2:01.2.
It was the first lifetime win and a lifetime mark for Broad Strokes ($6.80) who is owned by Little E LLC, Joe Sbrocco, L. Berg Inc. and Triple Play Trotters. Ake Svanstedt also trains the winner.
Broad Strokes was bred by Fair Winds Farm and was a $50,000 Harrisburg yearling sale acquisition.
There were six $15,000 divisions of Excelsior A races held on Sunday as well with the following results.
Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly Excel A winners:
Lady Jeter (Muscles Yankee-Salt Hill Brigid) 1:59.2, $22.40
Owner-Ann-Mari Daley, James Crawford IV and Donald Brenner
Trainer-Dan Daley
Driver-Dan Daley
Breeder-Salt Hill Farm
Morrisville sale-$22,000
Reciprocalbluechip (Chapter Seven-Fraction) 1:59, $5.90
Owner-Carrie Norris, M T Pockets Stable, Acadia Farms and G and B Racing
Trainer-Charlie Norris
Driver-Charlie Norris
Breeder-Diamond Creek Farm
Lexington Selected sale-$65,000
Soprese (Conway Hall-Isabella Gal) 1:59, $8.30
Owner-Crawford Farms, James Crawford IV and Ann-Mari Daley
Trainer-Dan Daley
Driver-Dan Daley
Breeder-Crawford Farms
Lexington Selected sale-$25,000
Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly Excel A winners:
Lovely Belle (Chapter Seven-Somebody To Love) 2:02, $3.20
Owner-Crawford Farms Racing
Trainer-Tony Alagna
Driver-Jason Bartlett
Breeder-Crawford Farms
Lexington Selected sale-$110,000
A Million Chuckles (Lucky Chucky-Win A Million) 2:04, $3.70
Owner-Peter Peck
Trainer-Jim Shupe
Driver-Tyler Buter
Breeder-Peter Peck
Homebred
Enchanting Woman (Deweycheatumnhowe-Enchantment) 2:04, $7.70
Owner-Hossman
Trainer-Robert Gale
Driver-Jimmy Whittemore
Breeder-Dunroven Stud
Lexington Selected sale-$15,000
(Batavia Downs)