New York Sire Stakes action continued at Batavia Downs, this time for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers racing in two divisions worth $64,760 each. Saturday’s program also featured three divisions of the Excelsior Series and two Open events.
The first NYSS division featured the Cane Pace winner Dynamic Youth (Stephane Bouchard), who was dispatched as the 3-5 betting favourite, but he made a costly break heading around the first turn, which clearly changed the complexion of the race.
Starting outside of Dynamic Youth was the 2-1 second choice Bet On The Law with Jim Morrill Jr. They were able to avoid the breaker and powered to command in :28.1. After a :30.1 second quarter breather, Bet On The Law braced for the first over Ideal Romance (Tony Morgan) as they hit the three-quarters in 1:27.
Down the lane Bet On The Law had plenty left pulling away to a comfortable one and a half length score in 1:54.1. The pocket-sitter, Escape The News, with Downs leading reinsman Shawn Gray, came on to be second while Racing Rocky with former Western New Yorker Jeff Gregory, who was also celebrating his birthday, closed late to be third.
Bet On The Law, a gelded son of Bettors Delight, notched his fourth win of the season and raised his seasonal earnings to $190,999 for owners Steven Held, Joesph Barbera, Agc stables and Dijo Racing. Joe Pavia Jr. does the conditioning.
“I got soft fractions on the lead and once [Dynamic Youth] ran it made it a lot easier for me to get there,” said Morrill. “A quarter in :27-seconds over his racetrack tonight, he was really pacing the lane.”
Morrill used a different strategy to sweep both NYSS events. Leaving from the rail with Major Bombay, Morrill fired him out of the starting gate enough to stuff Domethatagain (Anthony Morgan) in behind and then sit the two-hole as former Downs track record holder Forever Just, with Jeff Gregory, stormed to the front in a quick :27.3 over a racetrack listed good, but appeared to be favouring closers all night.
Forever Just continued on in :57.4 and was feeling mild pressure from Domethatagain at the third panel in 1:26. In the meantime, Major Bombay was lurking in the pocket, waiting patiently for his cue.
They turned for home with Forever Just turning first, but Morrill swung Major Bombay into the open stretch and he kicked it into another gear and paced right by Forever Just to a one and a quarter length win in 1:54.2. Forever Just easily held second while Domethatagain completed the top three.
Major Bombay, a colt by Art Major, scored for the third time in 2012 and went over the $196,000 mark in earnings. In two years of racing he’s earned more than $400,000 for owners Aaron Waxman, Louis Willinger, John Fodera and Major Bombay Partners. The Tony Alagna trainee returned $2.80 to win.
“I wanted to get away no worse than second. He finished up real strong when I asked him,” said Morrill.
In Excelsior action, the winners were: Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio, $2.90) in 1:56.1, JK Panache (Jim Morrill Jr., $2.30) in 1:58.1 and Glass Prince (Jeff Gregory, $4.50) in 1:58.2.
The New York Sire Stakes season concludes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night when the three-year-old colt and gelding trotters head into town to compete for $129,750, to be split in two divisions.
The $9,000 Open Handicaps, for trotters and pacers, were won by Ziegfeld (Morrill Jr., $4.90) in 1:59 and Unicorn Hanover (Robert Verney, $9.90) in 1:54.1, respectively.
The Summer-fall meet kicks into the fall schedule beginning Tuesday night with live racing every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 6:25 p.m.
(Batavia Downs)