HAMBURG, N.Y. --- For the second straight New York Sires
Stakes card at Buffalo Raceway, it was an Excelsior A Series participant who
stole the spotlight.
On Sunday (June 23), it was like a public workout for Amal
Hall ($2.40) in the $15,000 Excelsior A division as she tied the Buffalo
Raceway 3-year-old filly trotting record of 1:57, equaling the standard set in
2018 by Fury Road. She strolled to an easy 11 length victory over Southwind
Tinker (Kevin Cummings).
Amal Hall also owns the 2-year-old filly trotting mark at
Buffalo Raceway after putting up a 1:59 last season.
A surprised Jason Bartlett said of Amal Hall, "I didn't
even realize it was a track record. I knew we were going fast and if I knew if
we were close to the record, we would have went for it. She did it easy but the
main thing is we got the win."
Amal Hall (Credit Winner-Arabella Hall) is co-owned by the
Andy Miller Stable, the Gaitway Stable and the Dumain Haven Stable. Trained by
Julie Miller, it was the first score for Amal Hall on the campaign and
increased her winnings to $37,589 and $161,691 lifetime.
Winndevie has been chasing Quincy Blue Chip the past three
races without much luck but she finally beat her top nemesis in the first $57,600
division of the New York Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old filly trotters.
Winndevie (Bartlett) got revenge by squeaking out a nose
victory over Quincy Blue Chip in 1:58.2 over the fast track, the first over her
since capturing the New York Sire Stakes 2-year-old trotting crown at Yonkers
Raceway back on September 22.
In the other leg, Sensibility ($7.40) cruised out to early
command and never looked back in registering a length decision over Blue Ribbon
Gal in 1:57.1, just a fifth off the track record for the sophomore filly
trotters.
Winndevie was able to tuck into third place as the favored
Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) put up respectable splits of :29.3, 1:00.3
and 1:30.2. With a panel to trot, Winndevie swung to the outside and just got
by for the nose victory in the shadow of the wire. Hanna Dreamgirl (Scott
Zeron) took the show position.
"That wasn't the trip I really I wanted.,"
Bartlett said of Winndevie. "I wanted to be on the back of Quincy Blue
Chip but it worked out anyways."
He went on to say, "We made a couple of equipment
adjustments on her for this track. She got around that last turn really good
and she loves to have a target. I thought we got the win but after seeing the
photo, it was closer than I thought."
Owned by the Purple Haze Stables LLC and trained by Trond
Smedshammer, it was the second win in five starts in 2019 for Winndevie (Credit
Winner-Vida De Vie). The triumph upped her seasonal earnings to $81,923 and
$309,801 in her career.
Sensibility was able to take early control off the starting
gate and rolled to a comfortable 1-1/2 length victory over Blue Ribbon Gal
(Morrill Jr.). The favored Sweet Chapter (Matt Kakaley) took the show position.
"She's disappointed before on the front end but today
was just a culmination of her good races recently," Zeron said of
Sensibility. He added, "You have to capitalize on getting to the front end
here at Buffalo Raceway. I didn't know what to expect but (trainer) George
Ducharme said she was as good as she's ever been."
Co-owned by the George Ducharme Stable, W.J Donovan, Joe
Sbrocco and Jim Winske, it was the first win of the season in fifth attempts
for Sensibility (Muscle Mass-Twin B Sensation. The victory moved her 2019
bankroll to $104,594 and to $180,492 lifetime.
There were two other $15,000 events in the Excelsior A
Series. The first race went to Minor Obsession (Scott Zeron) who guided her to
a $6.80 decision in Ev's Girl (Bartlett). In the other division, Billy Davis
Jr. sent Song Chapter to a $14.40 surprise in 1:59.
In the lone $6,700 Excelsior B Series bracket, Divine Wind
(Bartlett) collared the pace-setting Barn Blaze (Davis Jr.) in mid stretch and
took the $7.00 score in 2:00.3.
Bartlett and Drew Monti had each a productive Sunday
afternoon by posting four victories while Zeron and David McNeight III had
doubles. John Mungillo and Ducharme had training doubles.
Racing will resume on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. with a
13-race card scheduled. The 2-year-old filly trotters will take the spotlight
in the New York Sire Stakes along with action in the Excelsior A and B series.
For more information including the latest news, race
replays, results, entries, upcoming promotions and simulcast schedule, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
