Witch Is Bettor, Eagle Way and Indulge Me, all driven by Jim Morrill, Jr., won their respective divisions in New York Sire Stakes action, Friday night, August 28 at Batavia Downs
.
Almost $200,000 in New York Sire Stakes money was up for grabs for the three-year-old pacing fillies.
The fastest and most impressive winner was Witch Is Bettor, who just missed the Downs track record, when she scored under wraps by four lengths in 1:54.2, just missing Isabella Blue Chips 1:54.1 record.
Coming to the half Witch Is Bettor and Morrill unleashed a powerful three-wide brush to assume command heading into the clubhouse turn and coast to victory--not bad considering the temperature was an unseasonably cool 65 degrees.
“She got a little grabby so I tipped her out and let her pace, I didn’t want to sit behind the 4-horse [Keep It Fair] so I went on with it,” Morrill said, “If I had known we could have broke the record I would have let her pace a little more.”
The Bettors Delight-Witch Hanover filly is owned and trainer by Robert Horowitz and Jerrold Spitzberg of New Jersey. The win was Witch is Bettor’s sixth of the season and raised her 2009 earnings to over $142,000.
Eagle Way, going off an overwhelming favourite, started off the trifecta of Sire Stakes races when she took the short around to win in 1:56.1 by 1-1/4 lengths. Getting away second, Morrill sat the pocket behind Up Front Kellie Jo (Wally Hennessey), angled to the passing lane as the field turned for home to win going away.
“We were going so slow I thought Wally’s filly would carry me and she did,” Morrill said.
The Dream Away-Western Dancer filly notched her fifth win of the season for owner Frank Dettore Horse Racing LLC of Ohio. Mark Ford is the conditioner. Her 2009 bankroll stands at over $158,000.
The photo camera was needed to decide the order of finish in final stakes event of the evening as three very talented fillies were charging to the wire. When the dust settled it was Indulge Me holding on to win over pocketsitting Perfect Launch (Greg Merton) and a wide All Spirit (Jim Marohn Jr.) in 1:55.2. Moving at the quarter, Indulge Me and Morrill put up all the numbers to tally her sixth win of the year for owners Robert and Lauren Tucker and trainer Ed Lohmeyer of New Jersey. The win boosted Indulge Me’s lifetime earnings to more than $500,000.
The 2009 stakes season at Batavia Downs Casino continues on Sunday afternoon. Three Late Closers, also for the three-year-old pacing fillies, will be contested. Sunday post time is 1:15 p.m.
Racing resumes on Saturday night, with post time set for 7:05 p.m.
(Batavia Downs)