Monticello, NY – Usually when track records are broken they are shaved off by a fifth of a second, but on Monday afternoon (July 28), the old mark was crushed by a full one-and-one-fifth seconds by Hunt Off The Press and Tyler Buter, who scorched the Mighty M oval with a new track record of 1:53.1 in the $112,100 New York Sire Stake event for 2-year-old Pacing Colts.
With eight on the gate and one trailer, American Renegade (PP3 – Ridge Warren) went off stride at the start. Aggieville (PP9 – M. Merton) tried to make a right-hand turn going into the first turn scattering the pack and causing interference with three horses. Also being hampered was the other unbeaten colt Quickaway (PP8 – B. Beckwith).
Jason Bartlett aboard the 1-5 favorite Fragment immediately urged his mount to the top in the confusion, briefly leaving him out three-wide. He made the top by the opening panel of :27.3 and coasted through splits of :56 and 1:24.3, all the while Hunt Off The Press was lurking in the two hole.
Turning for home, it was a two-horse race between those two, with Fragment looking the best with a 2-1/2 length lead at the head of the stretch. The space saving Hunt Off The Press rallied and got up late to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Fragment in a track record of 1:53.1 that included a :28.1 final quarter. Lakewood Nick (D. Rawlings) finished third.
Hunt Off The Press (Huntsville – Off The Press) is trained by Jared Bako, it was his second Sire Stake win of the season, upping his earnings to over $122,000.
In Excelsior action, Southwind Iron (American Ideal – Southwind Inertia) went wire-to-wire in a three-length score in 1:56.2 – $24.60 with Dan Rawlings in the bike for his third win of the year for the trainer Kevin Lare. He is owned by Frank Chick of Harrington, DE.
In the final stakes race of the afternoon, Killing Joke (American Ideal – Q T Pie Hanover) overtook the pace setter Johnny Wiggles to win by two lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:55.3 – $15.20. Killing Joke was driven to the win by Ridge Warren and is trained by Janice Connor. Jericho Johnny (Michael Merton) was second with Johnny Wiggles (Jason Bartlett) holding on for third place.
The 10-race card garnered $451,724 in handle, Ridge Warren and Bruce Aldrich Jr. each had driving doubles. Gary Messenger and Laura Aldrich each had a training deuce on the 10-race card.
Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies will take the stage next Monday (Aug. 4) with a 12:10 p.m. post time.