Freshman Fillies and a track record at Buffalo
July 12, 2009,by Sam Pendolino, Publicity Director/Public Relations
Hamburg, NY— Four divisions of the New York Sire Stakes, for 2-year-old pacing fillies, was contested here at Buffalo Raceway Saturday night. (July 11)
Paul White photo
The first division went to Galimony, driven by Matt Kakaley, in 1:59.
In the first division worth $33,172, Stake Your Claim Stable’s Galimony ($3.00), driven by Matt Kakaley, and trained by Linda Toscano, won in 1:59. It was the second win in a row for the Artiscape-Ideal Gal offspring, and the clocking now stands as her lifetime best.
“I just let her get settled at the start”, said Kakaley. “After I brushed her to the lead past the quarter-pole, I knew we were in good shape. She’s a really nice filly”.
Finishing second were Tia Maria Hanover and driver Jim Marohn, Jr., while hometown favorite It’s Only Roni (Jack Flanigen) came in third.
In the second division ($33,772) Lady Major, an Art Major-Eastern Lady offspring, trained by Sam Serianni, won for the first time this year in 1:59.2 establishing a new lifetime mark. Also driven by Matt Kakaley, Lady Major ($4.20) received a perfect pocket trip, then used the passing lane to defeat the early pacesetter She’s A Screamer (Ray Schnittker) by a head. Southwind Teva (Troy Boring) came in the show spot.
“She was a little rough gaited”, said Kakaley. “But once I got her straightened out, she was fine”.
Ray Schnittker’s Barks Like A Dog ($4.90), by Bettor’s Delight-Poodle Party, took the third division ($33,772) for her first pari-mutuel win, in 2:01. It was adventurous trip where the winner, leaving from post six, had to dodge confusion in the first turn.
“She raced just super”, said Schnittker. “I got a nice second over trip with cover, and she exploded in the stretch”.
Truly A Treasure (Matt Kakaley) leaving from post eight came in second while Perfectly Content (Howard Okusko Jr.) came in third.
In the last Sire Stake race, ($33,172) Shaky Hanover the 1-5 prohibitive favorite, with a five-length lead, made a nasty break entering the stretch and gift wrapped the win to Hart Angel and reinsman Howard Okusko Jr. It was the first lifetime win for the Art Major-Heavenly Gates filly, which covered the mile in 2:00.1.
“We were just trying to get around the track without any trouble”, said Okusko. “When Jimmy’s horse broke, it just set up perfect for us”.
In the $9,000 Open Handicap Pace, Bet The Ranch ($6.90), the only mare in the race, won in 1:55, which now stands as a new track record for Aged Mares. Owned by Edwin J. Gold and Conrad E. Zurich, the Bettor’s Delight-Silksndiamonds offspring, leaving from post one in the field of six, re-took the lead just past the quarter-pole and never looked back en-route to her fifth win of the year.
Driven by Howard Okusko Jr., and trained by Jessica Okusko, the $4,500 share of the winning purse put Bet The Ranch’s 2009 bankroll at $31,530, and $117,942 lifetime. It was the fourteenth lifetime win for the 4-year-old mare.