Three
divisions of the New York Sires Stakes for freshman colt pacers highlight the
Saturday night card at Vernon Downs, each for $35,975.
The
headliner throughout the season has been the wickedly fast He's Watching.
The American Ideal colt is unbeaten thus far in four outings and is the
fastest two year old ever on a five eighths mile track by virtue of his
crushing 1:50- NYSS win at Tioga Downs in early August. As fast as
track superintendent Tony Rossi has had the Vernon
surface this summer, the five year old track record of 1:51- held by
Schoolkids may well be in jeopardy.
He's
Watching will have a new driver, Jeff Gregory, for this one. The colt is
trained and owned in part by Dave Menary with partners Brad Gray and
Michael Guerriero. He starts from post two in the first division which
will be race three on the card.
Forty
Five Red is likely the best colt from the first crop of If I Can Dream with
three wins from six starts including the Sheppard final and nearly $133,000
earned for the Burke Racing and Our Horse Cents Stables. Vernon's leading
driver Rick Plano has the assignment from post eight.
Design
Guru actually went a tick faster than He's Watching in the Yonkers leg, tacking
a 27.3 final quarter onto his 1:54.1 personal record. He has also drawn the
outside eight post with Jonathan Drury in for the drive. Casie Coleman trains
the Artiscape gelding for Jeff Snyder.
Three
division of Excelsior stakes for the same group are on the supporting card.
First
post at Vernon is 6:45. More info is available on the Vernon website.
