by M. Kelly Young, executive assistant, the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Hambletonian Oaks starters Quick Credit and Velma K both found the winner’s circle during the $235,468 New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old filly trotters at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Friday night, Aug. 25.

Quick Credit, who had only qualified at Saratoga following her fourth-place finish in the Oaks on Aug. 5, was out on her own throughout the race and won by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:59.1. Saratoga-based Brian Mattison, her regular driver in New York, directed the Credit Winner filly to her second Sire Stakes win of the season to guarantee her trip to the $150,000 final on Sept. 16.

“She is scheduled to finish out the rest of the Sire Stakes season here and then I think she’s going to Lexington,” said Mattison in the winner’s circle.

Paul Kelley trains the local filly for Kelley Racing Stable and breeder Valley High Stable. Her victory in the $47,633 division boosted the filly’s career earnings to just under $440,000.

Velma K, who raced exclusively at the Meadowlands in preparation for the Oaks, made her first appearance in the New York Sire Stakes a winning one with Stephane Bouchard on board for the 1:59.1 score. The daughter of Conway Hall was out for the early lead and after being covered up shortly, retook and was never headed again. The filly is trained by Paul Buer for Joie De Vie Farm.

Ackbro Ms Perfect returned to her winning ways with a bang, drawing off by a resounding 12 lengths with Saratoga trainer-driver Scott Mongeon in 1:59.1. The Credit Winner filly was on a five-race winning streak before being stopped in her New York State Fair and Zweig Memorial Trot starts, both at Tioga Downs. The victory was her seventh of the year for brothers Dan and Steve Ackerknecht, who may supplement her to additional stakes events once the Sire Stakes season is completed.

“She is very good on a half-mile track, it is really her surface, as she showed tonight” said Dan Ackerknecht. “So we may supplement her to some events, maybe at Yonkers.”

“We take it start by start and we have to see how she does each week and then we’ll decide where we’ll go with her after the final,” added Steve Ackerknecht.

Driver Mike Simons scored two in a row with Brown Shuttle and Carmen Hall in the first two divisions on the card.

Brown Shuttle, trained by Ed Hart, hadn’t scored since an overnight event in June and the bettors sent her off at long 44-1 odds. However, the Credit Winner lass came through in her $46,734 division by waiting patiently fourth along the rail and rallying second-over to steal the event in a career mark 2:01.1. The filly is owned and bred by Robert Hiemstra.

The Fred Grant-trained Carmen Hall trotted home in 2:00.1. Simons has been behind this Conway Hall filly in four stakes events this year and never directed her to less than second. The Walnut Hall Limited homebred went over the $100,000 mark in career earnings with the victory and now totals $118,634.

New York Sire Stakes action continues at Saratoga Saturday with 3-year-old pacing colts.