Roadside Delight was looking for his third New York Sires Stakes victory in a row on Saturday night at Tioga Downs, but his toughest competition to date was lined up
next to him.
Trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman called on down under native Andrew McCarthy for the driving assignment, and the 24-year-old sent the two-yearold Bettors Delight-Road Sign son to the front from post position five. The duo put up fractions of :26.4 and :57 before Flipper J (Jason Bartlett) put up first over pressure into 20 mph head winds down the backstretch reaching the three-quarter mark in 1:25.3. McCarthy asked Roadside Delight for more and the colt responded, rebuffing Bartlett and keeping China King and Jimmy Marohn Jr. at bay in the pocket through a final quarter of :27.4. The mile of 1:53.2 established a new lifetime mark for Roadside Delight, owned by David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL.
Roadside Delight has won five of his seven starts this year, all of his wins in NYSS action.
The three other divisions for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers were captured by: American Romance in 1:54 (Jason Bartlett), Twin B Idol in 1:55 (Andrew McCarthy), and Thomas J in 1:55.3 (Jason Bartlett).
Tioga Downs continues live racing on Sunday, September 5 with a 1:30 p.m. post time featuring five divisions of New York Late Closers for two-year-old colt trotters.
(With files from Tioga Downs)