Brooklyn Lilacs, Meghan Lynn Win In NYSS At Buffalo

by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway

HAMBURG, N.Y. --- A pair of 2-year-old filly pacers started their careers off in fine fashion on Wednesday night (June 20) by winning their respective $52,500 divisions of the New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo Raceway.

Brooklyn Lilacs began the evening with an impressive 4-1/2 length score over Apple Tina K in 1:57.1 while Meghan Lynn took the second leg with a 1-1/2 length victory over Ladybeluckytonite in 1:58.3.

Both wins by the freshmen fillies were well short of the Buffalo Raceway track record of 1:56.2 established in 2016 by Shes A Billionair.

While the Sire Stakes failed to produce a new standard, there was a new barrier established for the aged (5+) pacing mares as Sportsmuffler ($3.50) toured the Buffalo Raceway oval in 1:53.4, breaking the previous record of 1:54.1 set by Sarah Cola in 2017.

Brooklyn Lilacs ($2.90) started the card by cruising to the win for driver Jim Morrill Jr. After settling in second to the opening quarter pole, Brooklyn Lilacs was in command at the half and never looked back.

"I took it easy on her in the first turn," Morrill Jr. said of Brooklyn Lilacs. "She was kind of banging the bike around that first turn. But when I popped the plugs on her, she switched into another gear and was gone." Apple Tina K (Jody Jamieson) was second and Eos N Rock (Ray Fisher) was third.

Co-owned by Gerald Stuchbury and the Sombodythatiustono Stable and trained by Gareth Dowse, Brooklyn Lilacs (Rock N Roll Heaven-Sombodythatiustono) earned a win check for $26,250 in her debut.

It was safety first for driver Jason Bartlett as he guided Meghan Lynn to a $7.30 win in the second bracket.

"I played it safe with her in the beginning and let the race develop," Bartlett said. 

Sitting third behind the pace-setting Ladybeluckytonite at the half, Meghan Lynn pulled to the outside and got the lead turning for home.

"I wanted to brush and clear to the lead at the five-eighths pole just like we did in her qualifier," Bartlett said of Meghan Lynn. "Once she got to the lead, I knew we weren't going to be beat."

Ladybeluckytonite (Drew Monti) took the place money with She's Da Boom (Jamieson) taking third.

Owned by the Crawford Racing Farms and conditioned by Chris Oakes, Meghan Lynn (American Ideal-Ladyotra) also earned a big payday of $26.260 in her first career try.

In the $15,000 Excelsior Stakes, Heavens Challenge ($6.00) took her leg in 1:59.1 for Morrill Jr. while Final Escape posted a $17.20 upset in 1:59.3 with Jamieson in the sulky.

Its Only Livie ($4.30) won the $6,700 Excelsior B event with a 2:00.1 for driver Shawn McDonough.

Sportsmuffler made her way into the record book with a 1:53.4 mile in the $10,000 Filly and Mare Open I-II pace. Sportsmuffler used a 27.4 final panel to help establish a new barrier, beating Hey Kobe by 2-1/4 lengths.

Owned by Rose Campbell and trained by Steve Kiblin, Sportsmuffler (Sportsmaster Whatifthere'smore) is a 6-year-old mare that has earned $26,053 in 2018 and $238,909 lifetime.

Racing will continue on Friday night at 5 p.m. with a 10-race card set.

For more information including the latest news, upcoming promotions, simulcast schedule, race replays, results and entries, go to www.buffaloraceway.com

IT’S A 2016 YONKERS TROT RENEWAL IN 2018

 BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Thursday, June 21, 2018—For those of who may have missed the first go-round, Yonkers Raceway is offering a redux of the 2016 Yonkers Trot…in 2018.

Hey, you buy the premise, you buy the bit.

Saturday night’s (June 23^rd) co-featured $44,000 Open Handicap Trot is highlighted by the return of one Marion Marauder.

The Trotting Triple Crown winner and career $2.5 million earner invades Westchester for the first time since a second-place effort in Twister Bi’s world-record Yonkers International Trot romp last October. 

Marion Marauder was remanded behind the eight-ball Saturday night, complete with new escort. Jordan Stratton gets the assignment as regular date Scott Zeron is off to Pocono and eliminations for the Sun Stakes.

When Marion Marauder looks to his immediate left, he shall see his nemesis from that Tour de Trot, one Smalltownthrowdown.

According to the U.S. Trotting Association’s Anne Chunko, the pair only opposed one another in the elim and final of the ’16 Trot, with Smalltownthrowdown the bridesmaid in both. Marion Marauder won the half-million-dollar finale by a hard-fought head in 1:56.1 (photo accompanies) after winning by a length-and-a-quarter the week before.

The third round was supposed to be at Scioto’s Charlie Hill Memorial earlier this month, but Marion Marauder came up ill. 

This season, the now 5-year-old son of Muscle Hill has a win (Philly, 1:52.1) and pair of seconds in three starts. He’s 15-for-41 lifetime, hitting the board 33 times. Marion Marauder is co-owned by Marion Wellwood and Devin Keeling & trained by the tandem of Paula Wellwood and Mike Keeling (Ms. Wellwood is listed stateside).

Smalltownthrowdown, no slouch he, tries to exact some revenge, albeit with somewhat less riding on this outcome. The 5-year-old statebred Cash Hall gelding has won 19 career races (2-for-6 this season) and more than $700,000. Trained and driven by Dan Daley at 2 and 3, he’s now co-owned and trained by Rene Allard. Dan Dube takes a seat.

Smalltownthrowdown, the New York Sire Stakes champ as a sophomore, won a local Open Handicap in late May.    

      

The weekly trotting features goes as the seventh of a dozen races. First post is the usual 6:50 PM.

Oh, and so as not to short shrift the other gait, Saturday night’s $44,000 Open Handicap Pace finds Bit of a Legend N back at it for the first time since his win (life-best 1:49.4) in Northfield’s $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie three weeks ago.

If you’re keeping score at home, this is another outside getaway for Stratton, as in post No. 7. 

The Open ‘Cap Pace goes as the sixth race. 

HISTORIC TRACK GEARS UP FOR ITS 108TH SEASON OF GRAND CIRCUIT RACING

by john manzi for Historic Track

Goshen Historic Track, where it all started and where it still is today, is prepping for its 182^nd season of exciting harness racing and 2018 will be the 108^th year of Grand Circuit Racing at “the Cradle of the Trotter”.

Racing action this year commenced with three matinee racing programs on the consecutive Sundays of June 3, June 10 and June 17 and this year marked the 57^th consecutive season of matinee racing over the historic double-oval.

Grand Circuit racing begins on Friday, June 29 and will feature the Landmark Series and the CKG Billings Harness Driving Series. Then on Saturday, June 30, 3-year-old pacers will be featured in New York Sires Stakes action.

However, the creme de la crème of the racing meet is the $10,000 Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge T. Gerry Memorial Trot which will be presented on Sunday, July 1 and feature various members of Harness Racing's Hall of Fame at the controls, which has always been a fan favorite.

Hall of Famers who will be participating this season include: Brian Sears, Dave Miller, Jimmy Takter, Dave Palone, Dick Stillings,Wally Hennessey and Ron Waples.

Autograph cards will be distributed to the first 500 racegoers on Sunday(July 1) and then after that featured race is completed the Hall of Famers will be available for photos and autographs.

Also slated on the July 1^st card is the New York Sire Stakes for 3 year old trotters and the race under saddle. And then in the evening, on the lawn of the Harness Racing Museum, will be the annual Hall of Fame Banquet.

The 2018 racing season ends on Monday, July 2^nd with the New York Sire Stakes for horses competing in the County Fair division.

All post times for racing will be at 1pm.

Also part of the Historic Track offerings this season will be the Goshen High School Graduation on Friday, June 22 followed by a concert on the facility's stage on Friday,June 29 after the racing card is completed.

On Tuesday, July 3  through Saturday, July 14 Historic Track will host the Harness Horse Youth Foundation followed on Saturday, July 28 with the Jimmy Sturr Concert. The annual Car Show is set for Sunday, Sept. 2^nd and the tracks Golf Outing fundraiser is scheduled for Monday, September 10.