Tioga Downs hosted the W.N. Reynolds Memorial Stakes for two-year-olds on Friday, Sept. 11 with Ocean Storm following up on his Grade 1 William Wellwood Memorial stakes record-equalling triumph as part of a six-win night for driver Braxten Boyd.
Boyd picked up the live catch drive on Ocean Storm ($2.42) for trainer Cameron Capone and went straight to the front in the evening's first $81,944 Reynolds event for male trotters, clocking the quarter in :27.4 followed by a rated half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:26. As they reached the stretch, Joseph The Great (Matt Kakaley) was the major danger in the pocket but went on a break and was ultimately placed back to fifth. Ocean Storm won easily in 1:55.1 by 2-3/4 lengths. Southern Hanover (Corey Callahan) closed from the back into third and was awarded second after the placing of Joseph The Great. Wyoming (Johnathan Ahle) inherited third money.
A colt by Chapter Seven out of Empressive Hill, Ocean Storm is now three-for-four to start his career. He races for the ownership group consisting of Adh Holdings of Auburn, New York, Paul Kautz of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Jeff Gural of New York City, New York and Jean Pierre Barjon of Paris, France.
Pennsylvania Stallion Series champion Celtic Wave ($2.18) earned his fifth straight victory with a 1:52.3 front-end effort in the $72,917 Reynolds division that followed for male pacers. Celtic Wave charged straight to the lead for driver Corey Callahan and set fractions of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:24.4 en route to the 1-1/4-length victory over pocket-pursuer Captain Charlie (Braxten Boyd), with Adios Hanover (Tyler Buter) following in third.
John Berger trains and co-owns the Captaintreacherous-Certified Ideal gelding, who is now five-for-nine lifetime, with Kiefer Elite Bldstock of Campbell Hall, New York of Theresa Donnelly of Sussex, New Jersey.
Cabaletta Hanover ($5.82) charged late to capture the $79,306 Reynolds division for trotting fillies. After the opening panels went in :27.1 and :56.4, Cabaletta Hanover advanced uncovered from fourth and overhauled pacesetter Slave To Fashion (Ray Schnittker) past the 1:25.4 three-quarter pole. She then held off a late move made by Eternal Light (Johnathan Ahle) from a two-hole trip to win in 1:56.3 by a quarter of a length. Favourite Native Pride (Tyler Buter) tracked the winner's cover and finished third.
Coming off a victory in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Consolation, Cabaletta Hanover improved to three-for-nine in her career. The daughter of Captain Corey-Caviart Jenny is owned by trainer Emily Bost and Steven Salerno of Dallas, Pennsylvania.
Live harness racing returns to Tioga Downs on Saturday, Sept. 12 with post time at 6:15 p.m.
(Standardbred Canada with files from Tioga Downs)