The sensational two-year-old colt pacer Hes Watching convinced Vernon Downs fans that he is indeed something special after recording a blazing 1:50 victory in the opening division of Saturday night’s $107,925 New York Sire Stakes feature for freshman male members of the lateral gait.
Being teamed for the first time by Jeff Gregory, and going off as the overwhelming favourite in Saturday’s third race, Hes Watching left the starting gate cautiously and was third after a :26.2 opening split. The bay son of American Ideal and Baberhood switched into another gear heading down the backstretch and was in control at the half in :54.2. Enjoying a two-length advantage after passing the third station in 1:22.4, the talented colt powered through a :27.1 final quarter to defeat the pocket-sitting Sir Sams Z Tam by more than two lengths.
The superb showing lowered the Vernon standard for freshman colt pacers by one full second, and equalled the clocking he displayed while setting a world record for his age, sex and gait over Tioga Downs’ five-eighth-mile track on Aug. 9.
The magical mile kept Hes Watching undefeated after five starts and improved his career winnings to more than $122,600 for trainer Dave Menary, an owner of the youngster along with Brad Gray of Milton, Ont. and Michael Guerriero of Puslinch, Ont.
Saturday’s other NYSS winners were Forty Five Red (If I Can Dream-Sakura Hanover) in 1:51.1 with Rick Plano piloting for trainer Ron Burke, the Burke Racing Stable and the Our Horse Cents Stable, and Big Boy Dreams (If I Can Dream-Stefani Blue Chip) in 1:51.3 with Cat Manzi doing the steering for trainer Arnie Marks and owner Dominick J. Rosato.
Hall-of-Famer Manzi was behind Memorial Day J in race one, the opening segment of Saturday’s $37,900 Excelsior Series competition for New York-bred freshman male sidewheelers, and guided the bay son of Kenneth J and Sentra to a fast-finishing 1:53.3 victory. The career-best clocking improved the swift-striding youngster’s summary line to 2-1-0 after six starts and his purse winnings to $14,035 for owner Ken Jacobs.
The evening’s other Excelsior Series winners were Cabbies Delight (Bettors Delight-Get A Cab) in 1:53.4 with Gregory guiding for trainer Marks and owner Jacobs, and Sir ALTB Z Tam (If I Can Dream-Mariah Blue Chip) in 1:55.3 with Gregory at the controls for trainer Pat Lachance, an owner of the first-time pari-mutuel winner along with the M&M Harness Racing stable and Ira Rosenblum.
Saturday’s speed splurge hit a low note after newcomer Pontiac Luck scorched Vernon’s seven-eighth-mile oval in 1:49, establishing a fresh track standard for aged pacing geldings and a career-fastest win clocking. Plano was at the controls as the seven-year-old son of Northern Luck and Pontiac Queen led from start to finish and was unchallenged at the mile’s end.
The time trimmed three-fifths of a second off the former Vernon mark, set by A Fool For Mark back on June 22, and it came within two-fifths of a second of the fastest mile in the track’s 60-year history, a 1:48.3 showing by the pacer Hes Gorgeous in May 2012.
It was the seventh season’s score and the 34th all-time tally for the career-winner of $317,437, who is trained by Ron Burke and registered to the Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
In addition to Gregory’s driving triple, Vernon’s leading driver for the second straight season, Plano, posted four first-place finishes for the seventh time at the 58-program meeting. Others recording multiple victories during Saturday’s 10-race program were driver Manzi (two wins), trainers Marks (three tallies), Burke (three triumphs) and Edgar Clarke (two victories). The Burke Racing Stable enjoyed three scores during Saturday’s slate, while owners Jacobs and Weaver Bruscemi were the recipients of a pair of first-place finishes.
The Downs has scheduled a special 10-race matinee program on Labour Day (Monday, Sept. 2) starting at 1:15 p.m., which features a $10,000 Open Trot in event eight.
(With files from Vernon Downs)