by Tim Bojarski, for the HHBNYS

Latham, NY — There was a full slate of accolades to pass out on Sunday (Nov. 15) when Batavia Downs hosted the USTA District 8 and New York Sire Stakes year-end awards banquet. This marquee event was presented by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund.

The gathering of top names in harness racing from the Empire State mingled at a cocktail party in Grandstands Banquet Hall at Batavia Downs that was sponsored by all the harness tracks in the state, before sitting down to a dinner of surf and turf. The awards presentation, which included video highlights of all the winners, began just before dessert.

The focus for many was the announcement of USTA District 8 horse of the year and when the envelope was opened Crazy Wow took home the hardware.

Crazy Wow (Crazed-No Pan No Gain) 1:51.1 ($1,260,540) is owned by Our Horse Cents Stable, JT45, J&T Silva Stables LLC and Deo Volente Farms LLC and is a student of Ron Burke. The ownership group purchased the colt at the end of his 2-year-old campaign (where he became the NYSS 2-year-old trotting colt champion) and Burke guided him to a million-dollar season on the Grand Circuit in 2015.

After starting his 3-year-old campaign off winning two of three NYSS events, Crazy Wow began collecting major stakes. He won the $255,325 Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Downs in a lifetime best 1:51.1 over an off-track. Next he took the $500,000 Colonial Trot at Pocono.

Then after an untimely break in the $500,000 Yonkers Trot, he finished a fast-closing second to Hambletonian winner Pinkman in the $532,000 Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk.

Crazy Wow closed out the year with three out of four wins including a $109,000 Bluegrass Stake at the Red mile, $270,000 Erskine at Hoosier Park and the $243,550 Matron Stake at Dover Downs.

For the year, Crazy Wow had nine wins in 17 starts and earned $1,027,612 in purses.

The New York Sire Stake award winners featured some of the best horses in North America this year and in many cases they outperformed their competition in any jurisdiction for their sex and gait.

Betting Exchange (Bettor’s Delight-Cheeky Hanover) was named the NYSS 3-year-old pacing colt of the year. Betting Exchange raced against the best 3-year-old pacers all year, acquitting himself well in every event. He finished second in the $380,000 Art Rooney at Yonkers and third behind Wakizashi Hanover and Wiggle It Jiggleit in the $810,000 North America Cup at Mohawk. He won three NYSS races including the $225,000 final.

His seasonal mark tied the track record of 1:51.2 for 3-year-old pacing males at Batavia Downs and his 10 in-the-money finishes carded him $430,975 for the year.

Habitat (Conway Hall-Habit’s Best) was named the NYSS 3-year-old trotting colt of the year. Habitat started winning early in the year when he took the $133,170 Dexter Cup at Freehold on May 2, which was his seasonal bow. His schedule then turned quickly challenging. He finished second to Crazy Wow in the $255,325 Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Down, second to Hambletonian champion Pinkman in the $157,250 Dancer Memorial at the Meadowlands before finishing off the board in the Hambletonian. But Habitat would rebound in a big way, taking the $500,000 Yonkers Trot just a week before winning the $225,000 NYSS final, also at Yonkers. He tallied eight wins for the year and stashed $727,814 in cash for his efforts.

Travel Playlist (Art Major-Village Madonna), who was named the NYSS 2-year-old pacing colt of the year, was the fastest 2-year-old of his sex and gait in North America this year, taking a 1:49.2 record at Vernon Downs in a division of the NYSS on Sept. 7. In his speedy, albeit abbreviated season, Travel Playlist won five NYSS events which helped him bank $252,570 for the year to go along with his national season’s record.

Dime A Dance (Roll With Joe-Hat Dance Hanover), who was named the NYSS 2-year-old pacing filly of the year, set a world record for her sex and gait over a half-mile track when she circled the course at Batavia Downs in 1:52.4 on Sept. 16. She won four NYSS events including the $225,000 final. Those wins figured into eight top-three finishes and they padded her account with $219,989 for the year.

Jim Morrill Jr. was named the NYSS Driver of the Year. Morrill scored 44 victories in the series that earned more than $1.8 million in purses for their connections. Morrill also registered an amazing .460 UDR for the entire NYSS season.

Ron Burke was the NYSS Trainer of the Year. Burke campaigned 29 horses on the Empire circuit this year and they accounted for 31 wins and just under $1.6 million in purses. Burke’s trainees earned checks 74 percent of the time in races they competed in.

And the NYSS Breeder of the Year was Winbak Farm. The 21 horses bred by Winbak earned $778,238 in the NYSS over the year and earned purse checks 72 percent of the time.

Click here for a complete list of all the winners.