Amulet Farms in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania hosted a special day of PA Sire Stake racing, and the entry box was filled with enough horses for 22 races. By day’s end, nine races resulted in track records, including new all-age records on both gaits
.
Roger Hammer guided eight winners on the day, while Chris Shaw picked up four driving wins. Boots Dunn earned five wins as a trainer, while Hammer tallied four.
The first track record performance came in just the second race of the day, as Desired Outcome, by Tom Ridge, set a new standard for filly trotters, covering the mile in 2:05.1 for the Dunn Stable and driver Roger Hammer.
Two races later, Dunn and Hammer teamed to set a new all-age trotting record when Redder Than Red, a freshman SJs Caviar gelding, stopped the watch in 2:03.
In a two-year-old filly pace, Scotts Terror, trained by Mike Gillock and driven by Wayne Long, set a new track record for freshman fillies, timed in 2:01.2. Gillock co-owns the Western Terror filly with Tom Haughton.
In a three-year-old filly trot, Red Rum Lass (SJs Caviar) set a new record with a 2:04 win for owner Bill Kirwan, trainer John McMullen, and driver Wilbur Yoder. The record didn’t last long, as the Dunn Stable’s Lyrical Lady (Cantab Hall), driven by Hammer, lowered the mark to 2:03.1 in the next race.
Lyrical Lady then had to share space in the record book with her stablemate, as SBM Georgian Star (Great George Two) recovered from an early break to trot in 2:03.1 with Hammer at the lines.
In the first division of the sophomore filly pace, DVC Hopnattitude (Magical Mike), a recent purchase by driver Chris Shaw and trainer Jason Shaw, won in 1:59.3, a new all-age pacing record. However, by the end of the day, she would only have her name in the books under pacing fillies.
In a colt pacing division, Ya Gotta Go, owned by Rich Gillock and trained by Mike Gillock, paced in 1:59.3 to set a new record for pacing colts and equal the all-age mark. Ya Gotta Go, a son of Metropolitan, has now won nine of 12 starts this season.
Finally, in the 22nd and final race of the day, Stripen Star, owned and trained by Jason Shaw and driven by his brother, Chris, paced in 1:59.2 to put his name in the record books as the fastest ever at the half-mile training center. Stripen Star, by No Pan Intended, earned his 10th win in 22 starts on the season, pushing his bankroll over $30,000 for the year.
The circuit will now head to central Pennsylvania and the York Fair, with two days of racing planned this week. Monday evening’s card will begin at 6 p.m.
(PHRC)