HAMBURG, N.Y. --- It was closing day at Buffalo Raceway
Sunday afternoon (July 20) and the 2-year-old filly trotters in the New York
Sire Stakes tried but couldn't beat their divisional track record of 2:00.2
held by Munis Blue Chip from 2009.
So while the standard still stands tall, there were some
good efforts with the fastest times of the four $27,251 divisions going to
Betcha and Barn Doll who covered the mile over the fast track in 2:01.2. The
other winners were Cherry Crown Jewel (2:02.2) and Miss B'Ville J (2:02.0).
In the opening division, Cherry Crown Jewel inherited the
lead after Counselor AS (Jeff Gregory) broke stride around the second turn and
was never threatened the rest of the way.
"I really didn't want Jeff's horse (Counselor AS) to
get the lead but when they broke, we got back on top and it was nice and easy
then," winning driver/trainer Dan Daley said. "She's a nice filly and
could do well in the Sire Stakes."
Cherry Crown Jewel ($11.40) was easily able to hold off the
mild rally mounted by second place finisher Dancewithme Chuck (Charlie Norris),
who finished 1-1/2 lengths back, while Stories To Tell (Chris Lems) trotted
into third.
The winning time was 2:02.2 and it was the first win in
three starts for Cherry Crown Jewel (RC Royalty-Nowerland Kristen).
Daley made it two straight in the Sire Stakes when he guided
Betcha ($4.40) to an convincing 3/4 length triumph over Stirling Debutant (Rick
Zeron) in 2:01.2 in the second leg. It was the second straight Sire Stakes win
for Betcha.
It was a perfectly rated journey for Betcha (Cash
Hall-Sienna) as she followed the live cover of Stirling Debutant and exploded
three-wide through the stretch to score the victory by 3/4 expanding lengths in
2:01.2.
Daley said of Betcha, "We didn't think she'd be
anything special but she keeps chugging along and wants to be a race
horse."
Barn Doll (Gregory) was much the best in the third division
as smartly trotted past Kaliska (Ray Schnittker) under little urging and posted
the two length decision in 2:01.2. Zanna Blu (Gates Brunet) rolled into the
show position.
"She's a very well-mannered filly," Gregory said
of Barn Doll. "She's done everything they've asked of her. They (owners
Purple Haze Stables and Steven and Nancy Pratt) are going to make a lot of
money with her."
It was the third victory in four career starts for Barn Doll
(Conway Hall-Headintheclouds) and increased her seasonal earnings to $36,357.
The final division saw Miss B'Ville J (Jim Morrill Jr.) use
the 'lightning lane' and beat the front-stepping Northern Obession (Schnittker)
by a neck in 2:02.
Northern Obession set the tempo with times of 30.3, 1:01.4
and 1:32.2 but had Miss B'Ville J ($4.70) breathing down her neck the entire
mile. In the lane, Morrill Jr. dropped Miss B'Ville inside and she responded to
post the neck victory.
Owned by KJ Stables and trained by Tracy Brainard, it was
the first trip to the winner's circle in three tries for Miss B'Ville J (RC
Royalty-South Jersey Angel).
In the $12,600 Excelsior Class A races, Define Royalty
(Chris Lems) took the first division in 2:04 and returned $4.20. Barn Girl
(Greogry) won the second leg in 2:02.1 and paid $4.60 while in the last leg,
The Cuse pulled the surprise ($13.20) as John Stark Jr. sent the winner wire-to-wire
in 2:03.2.
The $6,700 Excelsior B series race was won by Untangled Cash
(Gregory) and took the victory in 2:05.1 and paid $4.10.
The live racing schedule is now completed for the 2014
season. Simulcasting will continue throughout the remainder of the year at
Buffalo Raceway with live racing expected resume in January of 2015.
For simulcast schedule, race replays, results, upcoming
promotions and the latest news, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
