by Todd Haight

Batavia, NY — The 2010 New York Sire Stakes season ended with a bang on Saturday night with a pair of track records set and another impressive appearance by Jezzy, now a perfect ten for ten lifetime.

Paul White photo

Jezzy cruised to a 6-1/2 length score in 2:03 for trainer/driver Ray Schnittker.

The evening featured four divisions of 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters and three events for 2-year-old trotting fillies. More than $275,000 in stakes money was offered.

The Credit Winner colt, Stimulus started the fireworks when he trotted to a new track record for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings in the very first race.

Leaving from the rail, Stimulus with Marcus Johansson in the bike, sat the two-hole until the top of the stretch and roared out of the pocket to a 1:57.3 score lowering Russell Hill’s record, set last season, by a fifth of a second.

Stimulus is owned by the contingent of Christina Takter, John Fielding and Falkbolagen Ab. Jimmy Takter is the conditioner.

However Stimulus’s name didn’t stay in the record books long as another son of Credit Winner, Whata Winner, would annihilate that standard later in the evening.

Leaving from the rail with Hall of Famer Jim Doherty in the sulky, Whata Winner was send right to the front and never looked back, turning back heavy favored Blacktuxwhitesox’s (Jeff Gregory) stretch bid to notch his name in the record books with a 1:56.2 clocking.

His time was just two-fifths off Earl’s all-age record. The fractions were :28-:58-1:26.2. Whata Winner is trained and co-owned by Jim Doherty along with Thomas Dillon and Terrax Inc. Whata Winner notched his eight win of the campaign and raised his 2010 earnings to more $247,000.

The much heralded trotting sensation Jezzy had no problem remaining unbeaten heading to next Saturdays Yonkers Night of Champion finals for 2-year-old trotting fillies when she cruised to a much the best 6-1/2 length score in 2:03 for trainer/driver Ray Schnittker. Not that she needed any help but five early breakers made her appearance basically a training mile.

Ray Schnittker, Jerry Silva, Jeffrey Gural and Theodore Gewertz own the Credit Winner-Ladylind freshman. Gural’s Little E farm bred Jezzy who has earned over $222,000 for her connections.

Dreamy Dawn become the new track record holder for 2-year-old trotting fillies at the Downs when she easily lowered Princess Maddie’s (2:00.4) record by almost two seconds.

Sent right to the top from post-two by reinsman Jeff Gregory, Dream Dawn put up all the numbers en route to 4-1/2 length, 1:59 victory to establish the mark. The fractions were :29-:59-1:29. The quickly improving Dream Vacation – Divine Eos juvenile is owned/trained and was bred by Ed Lohmeyer.

“What a fantastic New York Sire Stakes season we’ve had,” Mike Kane, Vice President of Live Racing said. “We had six track records set and the fans came out to watch. Our on-track handle was up 16% tonight thanks to a great racing card.”

All eyes will be on veteran driver Ken Holliday when racing resumes on Tuesday night. The 46-year-old Holliday starts the new race week just 2 wins away from career milestone 5,000. Post time is 6:40pm.