The altered son of Crazed-Keystone Shana, owned by the
Purple Haze Stable, finished three lengths ahead of Mythology Blue Chip (Mark
MacDonald) and was one tick faster than the former standard of 2:00.1 set
by Donttellmywife in 2006.
In all, nine divisions of 2 year old trotting colts and
geldings, in both the New York Sire Stakes and Excelsior Series, were featured
that afternoon and the colts who won their NYSS splits were most impressive,
each winning rather handily. Gabe The Bear Dean’s 1:58.4 victory was the
fastest of the three while Mambo Blue Chip scored in 1:59.3, and in his first
lifetime start Sugarmakesmecrazy was victorious in 2:00.2.
Ray Schnittkker guided Gabe The Bear Dean, a son of Lucky
Chucky-Madam Hooch, to a four-length triumph in 1:58.4 in the first
$35,867 NYSS split. They finished just two ticks slower than Fashion Blizzard’s
1:58.2 track record two years ago.
Although Gabe the Bear Dean was abetted by breaking colts
early in the mile still the powerful youngster needed no ulterior assistance as
he trotted unchallenged through fractions of :29.2,:59.3,1:29.2 before
finishing four lengths ahead of the Brent Holland -driven Andy Ray.
A $105,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg, it was the
fourth victory in six seasonal starts for Gabe The Bear Dean who now has nearly
$75,000 for co-owner Ray Schnittker and the Minix Stable.
“He’s a nice colt and does everything right,” Schnittker
said about Gabe The Bear Dean, and then added: “He’s got a big motor, too.
Sent off at odds of 2-1 Gabe The Bear Dean paid $6.20 for
win
Mal and Janet Burroughs were on hand to watch Jeff Gregory drive
their Mambo Blue Chip to a 1:59.3 triumph over Insomniac and Mark MacDonald in
another $35,876 NYSS spilt and that had Burroughs smiling…and chirping.
“I’ve missed the Hambletonian the last few years but this
guy (Mambo Blue Chip) is gonna get us back there next year,” said Burroughs,
only the second amateur driver to win the famed Hambletonian. (He won the 2006
edition with Malabar Man while Harrison Hoyt was the other when he won
with Demon Hanover in 1948).
Trainer Linda Toscano had Jeff Gregory again drive Mambo
Blue Chip and he responded with their third victory together.
Understandably, Gregory was all smiles when he spoke of the colt’s attributes.
“He a smart colt and handles like an aged horse. Yeah, we got a good trip but
he knew just what to do when he saw daylight in the stretch.”
After traveling along in third position from the start and
still in third place at the top of the lane, when Gregory had room in the
stretch he aimed Mambo Blue Chip toward freedom and the colt responded with a
one length triumph.
Mambo Blue Chip, a $40,000 yearling purchase was second
choice in the betting and returned a $4.40 win mutuel.
As impressive as any of the other colts was
Sugarmakesmecrazy. Racing for the first time for money off just one qualifying
start at the Meadowlands where he was beaten a nose in 1:58.1, he breezed to a
wire to wire two-length victory in a time of 2:00.2 and kept favored Buen
Camino (Trond Smedshammer) at bay.
Asked why the colt hadn’t started earlier Svanstedt
said; “He’s so big that he had problems” as he pointed to the colt’s right hind
ankle and foot. “He’s a good trotter now but he will be a very good
3-year-old.”
An $80,000 yearling purchase, the son of Crazed-Maple
Frosting, paid $4.80 for win. He is owned by Mellby Gard, Inc.
The supporting undercard featured three freshman trots
in the Excelsior “A” Series and three in the Excelsior “B” Series.
Besides Crazshana’s 2:00 victory other Excelsior winners
included; Deadhead Royalty, 2:04.1 (Howard Okusko), Abir Hanover, 2:04.2 (Jason
Bartlett), Lucic, 2:04.2 (Steve Smith), Lucky Bud, 2:01.1 (Homer Hockstetler)
and Titanium, 2:01.2 (Jason Bartlett)
In all, a total of 11 of the 13 races were for trotters on
that Monday and Shortest Distance, driven by Jimmy Taggart, Jr. won in 1:57
and scored her 17th victory of the season. She now has
drawn even with Diamond Tiara as the harness horses with the most wins in North
America this season.
