Gregg McNair trainee Barefoot Beauty used a sizzling :57.1 second half mile and scored a convincing one and a half length victory over Sweetnsinful in 1:54.4 to highlight the New York Sire Stakes action for two-year-old filly pacers Wednesday night at Batavia Downs (Sept. 18).
Barefoot Beauty's sparkling time lowered the Batavia Downs' track record for two-year-old fillies of 1:55 set in 2006 by Paulas Best, which was the longest standing mark at North America's oldest lighted harness track.
While Barefoot Beauty broke a record, Marty Party tied the Batavia Downs' track record for aged pacing mares in the very next race as she went the mile in 1:53.4 in the $8,500 Fillies and Mares Open. The time tied the mark set in 2012 by Up Front Kellie Jo.
It was definitely a night of upsets in the Sires Stakes as Barefoot Beauty was overlooked by the public and returned $26.20 while Table Talk took the first division and returned $24.20.
Barefoot Beauty (Art Major-Stunning Beauty) sat sixth at the start as Rain Cloud Hanover (Jim Morrill Jr.) took the lead and went the half in :57.3. Driver Doug McNair came first over with Barefoot Beauty just before the half, then blew past the front-running Rain Cloud Hanover midway down the backstretch and never looked back. Sweetnsinful (Jimmy Whittemore) rallied for second while Rain Cloud Hanover held on for third.
"She was real good tonight," said talented young reinsman McNair. "When I pulled the [ear] plugs she just took off."
The win was the third in seven career starts for Barefoot Beauty, owned by James Avritt Sr. The victory pushed her winnings to $44,478 this season.
It took nine starts, but Table Talk (Bettors Delight-Place At The Table) finally reached the winner's circle after going gate-to-wire in 1:55.2 with Jim Marohn Jr. aboard for the ride in the first division worth $52,506.
Table Talk was able to set the fractions with :27, :57.1 and 1:26.2 as Bikinis On Top dropped into the pocket. Suplemental Income (Jason Bartlett), the heavy 1-4 favourite, was first over at the half, but called it a night at the three-quarter marker and finished fifth. Table Talk had plenty of pace down the stretch and easily held off Bikinis On Top (Doug McNair) by two and a quarter lengths while Wondering Heart (Jimmy Whittemore) took the show spot.
"She got locked in last week at Vernon and we wanted to give her every chance possible tonight so we decided to leave with her," said driver Jim Marohn Jr. "Once she made the lead she paced real strong right to the wire."
Owned by The Wiz Kids Stable and trained by Bart Dalious, Table Talk now has $26,253 in earnings in her first season.
In the $12,600 Excelsior Series for the two-year-old filly pacers, Spreester ($4) made it seven-for-nine in her career as she scored the victory in 1:56.2 for driver Jim McNeight. Jim Morrill Jr. won two Excelsior Series races leading Barbuda Babe to the win in 1:59 in a non-betting affair and notched a victory with Carlotta Blue Chip ($3.60) in 1:57.
In the Open Pace for fillies and mares, Marty Party ($3.80) sat the pocket most of the way and used a late charge in the passing lane to nip the pace-setting Winbak Heavenly by a neck. It was her first start since arriving from Yonkers, Harrah's Philadelphia and Pocono Downs.
Marty Party, driven by Morrill Jr., is owned by Howard and Michael Ouriel and is trained by Don Rothfuss.
Harness racing resumes on Friday night when a 12-race card will be presented with first post scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The feature on the program will be the $8,500 Open Trot in which Winkys Pride is the 5-2 morning line favourite in the full field of eight. Winkys Pride will score from the four spot with Kevin Cummings in the sulky.
(Batavia Downs)