Crevani Farms' Bullville Powerful established a new Saratoga Gaming and Raceway track record for a three-year-old colt pacer on Saturday when capturing his $64,409 division of the New York Sire Stakes in 1:52.3, knocking four-fifths of a second off the previous mark of 1:53.2.
Driven from post four by Stephane Bouchard, Bullville Powerful settled contentedly in the pocket to track the early pacesetter Final Curtain through brisk fractions of :27, :55, and 1:23.4.
Final Curtain (James Morrill) entered the stretch with a one and a half length lead, but was quickly engaged by Bullville Powerful, who was angled off the pylons in mid-stretch to make a determined charge at the leader.
The pair paced in tandem through the final yards, with Bullville Powerful thrusting his nose in front in the shadow of the wire to claim victory, while subsequently etching his name in the Saratoga Raceway record books.
Trained by Stephen Crevani, the son of Bettors Delight has found the wire first in 11 of 24 lifetime starts, and now boasts a career bankroll in excess of $430,000.
Bouchard returned to the Saratoga winner's circle two races later after leading every step of the way with Corner Blitz, who captured his $65,610 New York Sire Stakes division in 1:54.
Owned by Tripoli Stable and trained by Ed Hart, Corner Blitz cut fractions of :27.3, :57.2, and 1:26.1 before coming home in :27.4 to prevail by one and a half lengths. The victory was the second straight for the son of Pro Bono Best, who has now gotten his picture taken in four of 11 starts this year.
Last season's New York Sire Stakes juvenile pacing champion Riggins tallied his third Sire Stakes victory of 2008 when holding on gamely to capture his $64,409 split in 1:54.1.
Guided from post three by conditioner Ray Schnittker, Riggins showed the way through fractions of :28, :57.4, and 1:26.1 before holding on gamely to score by a half-length for Buffalo Boy's Stable, Howard Taylor, Frank Baldassare, and David Pepin.
The victory was the third in four starts for the son of Art Major, who has amassed over $425,000 in lifetime earnings.
The final Sire Stakes event of the evening was captured by Lislea Miles, who benefited from a perfect pocket trip to take his $65,610 division in 1:54 for Wire to Wire Enterprises and Steve Goldberg, trainer Ron Coyne Jr., and driver Jim Morrill Jr.
The son of Lislea is a six-time winner from 10 seasonal starts, including Sire Stakes triumphs at Monticello in mid-July and Buffalo Raceway in June.
(Saratoga)