Trainer George Teague, Jr., driver Jim Morrill, Jr. and Windfall Blue Chip were notable participants in Friday night’s $180,420 New York Sires Stakes feature for two-year-old male pacers at Vernon Downs
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Teague, recognized as one of the standardbred sport’s top conditioners, harnessed three of Friday’s five NYSS divisional winners, while Morrill posted four tallies during the 11-event card, including a 1:53.1 triumph behind the first race favourite Windfall Blue Chip, which made the bay son of Art Major-Beach Dancer the fastest freshman performer of Vernon’s 56th season.
Shared in ownership by Teague Inc., Theodore Gewertz and the Kovach Stables, Windfall Blue Chip is unbeaten after two career starts.
Teague’s other first-place finishes came from Dr Dreamy (1:53.4) and Im Gorgeous (1:54.4). Morrill was the pilot behind both good-looking youngsters.
Dr Dreamy, a bay son of Art Major-Candy Stripes owned by Only Money Inc., George Teague Inc., Theodore Gewertz and the Teague Racing Partnership LLC, remains undefeated after four prime performances, while Im Gorgeous, a bay son of Bettor’s Delight-Joy owned by Elmer Fannin, improved his record to three victories and a second-place finish following four outings.
Friday’s other NYSS split scores went to Ive Got A Bono, a bay son of Pro Bono Best-Front Page News, who earned a 1:54 mark and his second tally in three starts with Doug McNair steering for owner/trainer Duane Marfisi and his partners Aaron Waxman and Joel Benson, and Flexjet, a brown son of Village Jove-No Sweets Please driven by Dan Cappello, Jr., who now sports a 1:55 speed badge and four tallies in five official appearances for owner/trainer Chet Poole, Jr., Norman Kelapire, Deborah Chase and the Winbak Farm.
Morrill also won with Sam Rice’s trotter Good And Plenty to round out his four-bagger.
Sharpshootennorris remained king of the trotting hill at the Downs following a 1:55.3 victory in Friday’s $9,000 Open handicap. Josh Marks did the teaming as the six-year-old gelding snared his second Open triumph in succession for owner-trainer Tracy Brainard and her partner Gerard Stuchbury.
Bill Bailey, who hurt his hip in a racing mishap at the Downs last night, returned to steer the trotter Matchstick Man to a 1:58.4 score in Friday’s last race for owner/trainer Dave Dewhurst and Philip Hale.
(Vernon Downs)