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

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— The seventeenth renewal of the $1.2 million New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions was a showcase of the year’s best New York-breds and proved to be another record-breaking evening on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway.

Seven of the eight $150,000 Championship winners broke the Night of Champions stakes record, five set new track records and two equaled track records. In addition, with $1,303,000 in purses, it was the richest single program in the 66-year history of the raceway. Attendance, estimated at 4,300, surpassed last year’s total, making it the largest in recent memory for live racing.

Local trainer John Stark Jr. started six horses in the finals and won with Algiers Hall to increase his career total to nine Sire Stakes championship titles as a trainer, the most ever, and maintained his spot as the second all-time leading driver with 10 victories in the bike on the Night of Champions.

3-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES — Darlin’s Delight

Millionaire and World Champion Darlin’s Delight was expected to win her Sire Stakes final, but no one expected her to do it so with the fastest mile by a filly or mare in the history of the raceway. At the end of the night, the jaw-dropping 1:52 mile was the third fastest ever at the half-mile raceway by a horse of any sex.

Directed by regular reinsman Yannick Gingras, 3-year-old pacing filly Darlin’s Delight pulled out from mid-pack around the second turn and cleared the front at the half to lead the rest of the way home. The mile broke the former track record of 1:54.1 set last month and dropped the 12-year-old Night of Champions record of 1:54.2.

“I think she could have gone in 1:50 and change,” said Gingras in the winner’s circle of his 1-5 betting favorite. “I backed her up a little on the backstretch because I like track records, but I also like to win.”

Fractions were hot from the start, with Lislea Bella leaving the gate for a 26.4 first quarter and then Darlin’s Delight pushed to a :54.4 half to take over the lead. Once on top, Gingras slowed his charge down to a 1:24.1 three quarters, but she pulled away from the rest of the field around the final turn and the crowd, expecting a record, applauded as the filly soared down the stretch to the wire.

“It’s incredible to see a crowd like this at a racetrack,” said trainer Jeff Stafford. “You don’t get to see this much and it’s an honor to race. I was a little concerned with the speed tonight, but once she got to the front I knew she was good.”

Darlin’s Delight is a homebred for Joe Parisi’s White Birch Farm. She went over $1 million in career earnings when she won $638,000 the Fan Hanover on Aug. 26. She now has a bankroll of $1,121,199 and is the richest and fastest offspring of sire Bettor’s Delight.

3-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS & GELDINGS — Algiers Hall

Hometown favorite Algiers Hall, with trainer-driver John Stark Jr. on board, was able to stay relaxed and avoid his occasional bobble to become a Sire Stakes champion after a runner-up finish in the final last year.

The colt by Conway Hall took out for the lead after the quarter and never relinquished en route to a 1:55.2 track and stakes record. The time beat the 1:55.3 mark set by rival RC Royalty last week. The highly anticipated match-up between Algiers Hall and RC Royalty did not materialize here as RC Royalty race in the Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations at Mohawk in lieu of the Sire Stakes final on Saturday night.

Celebrity Surfer stalked in the pocket and charged hard down the stretch, but could not catch Algiers Hall and finished second with Stark’s other entrant, Cold Winner, third.

“He looked so relaxed tonight. I’m always happy to see him get out of the gate,” said co-owner Tom McTygue of his horse’s tendency to break stride at or just after the start. “John warmed him up twice tonight and he just looked so good on the track. He seems to be getting better each week.”

McTygue, the Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Public Works, had a large local cheering section. He owns the career winner of more than $383,000 with Carlyle and David Smith of Syracuse and Stark.

He was bred by Walnut Hall Ltd. and will be heading to The Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., next for the Bluegrass Stakes and the Kentucky Futurity, the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown. Algiers Hall finished fifth in the Hambletonian, the first leg of the Triple Crown, in August.

3-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES — Quick Credit

The battle between locally trained filly Quick Credit and Ackbro Ms Perfect seemed to be almost decided by the post position draw. Quick Credit, who had the two-hole edge over Ackbro Ms Perfect out of the fourth post, cut the mile to win in a stakes record 1:56.2 and tie the track record.

“The race went just like we wanted,” explained trainer Paul Kelley, who owns the filly with his brother David and breeder Bill Weaver’s Valley High Stable. “We definitely wanted to be on the front and set the pace. If Scott (Mongeon, driver-trainer of Ackbro Ms Perfect) was on the front, he would have been tough to beat. The post position draw definitely worked out in our favor.”

Tony Morgan, the leading dash-winning driver in North America, directed the filly for Kelley, but he has promised regular driver Brian Mattison an equal five percent driving commission.

“The fact that Tony was going to be here tonight, the leading driver in North America, I’d rather have him on my team than driving another horse out there,” explained Kelley. “It’s not a knock on Brian. He’s done a great job with her this year and he’s the reason she’s here tonight.”

Incredible Fortuna, with Ivan Davies up, was second and Ackbro Ms Perfect finished third for brothers Dan and Steve Ackerknecht, of Johnstown and Cobleskill, respectively.

2-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS & GELDINGS — Kenneth J

Kenneth J and driver Stephane Bouchard came up the passing lane in the stretch to win the 2-year-old pacing colt Championship in 1:55.2 over Pat Lachance’s pacesetter and favorite Forensic Z Tam. The time was a stakes record and equaled the Bettor’s Delight colt’s own track record set Aug. 19.

“I knew Pat’s was a good horse too, but he had to chase his a little at the end and I never had to use the whip, I just shook the lines a little and he went on. I wasn’t worried about getting out (of the pocket) because of the passing lane, but I was worried about having enough time to get up.”

Ken Jacobs owns the horse and despite having a number of Sire Stakes champions in the past, never tires of the accomplishment.

“He’s one of those horses you just know is special,” he shared in the winner’s circle. “I made him eligible to the Breeders Crown and I never do that with a 2-year-old.”

“This horse is named after my son and grandson,” added Jacobs, the leading owner on the New York Sire Stakes circuit this season. “I name all the horses after grandchildren and I have 14, so I can stretch them out.”

2-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS & GELDINGS — Hitwiththeladies

In addition to Darlin’s Delight’s shocking mile, Hitwiththeladies added the necessary drama to the evening. The colt dominated his division all season long and overcame both drawing post seven and a break in stride at the start to win with Jack Flanigen in 1:59.2.

Although the colt by Giant Hit was back on the trot quickly and barely spotted the field any lengths, he trailed much of the mile and made his move three-wide going to the three-quarters. It was the first Sire Stakes Championship for owner-trainer Allan McCarty of Buffalo, who is a semi-retired lawyer shifting his focus to full-time training.

“I was a little concerned, but he’s a good horse and he showed that tonight,” said McCarty, who was not sure why his horse uncharacteristically went off stride. “It’s a flood of emotion all at once–you have a horse is pretty good and makes a mistake like that. Jack (Flanigen) is a good driver and didn’t lose much ground with him and should be commended for a great drive.”

Hitwiththeladies was bred by White Birch Farm and this victory brings him to within $500 of $200,000 in 2006 earnings. He was not staked to anything outside of New York this year and although he is finished racing this year, McCarty alluded that he may have more Grand Circuit stakes engagements next year, even possibly the Hambletonian.

3-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS & GELDINGS — Predator DVM

Predator DVM, part of a two-horse owner entry for Legacy Racing Stables, got up for an exciting finish in another track and stakes record 1:52.1 in the sophomore pacing colt final. He dropped the track record for a gelding from 1:53.3 and the stakes record from 1:54, set just last year.

Winbak Dimensions, the defending New York Sire Stakes Champion, attempted to make the lead early, but was parked out and later tired to finish last.

Legacy Racing Stable, a syndicate of owners put together by the breeder Blue Chip Farm owner Tom Grossman, is just in its second year of horse ownership and has already reached the pinnacle of racing in New York.

“I am ecstatic with the win,” said Cynthia Massari, a co-owner in the stable. “I am overwhelmed. I don’t look at these horses like an investment, they are like my family.”

The son of Bettor’s Delight is trained by Ed Hart and was directed by Gingras, who scored his second victory of the evening. Hart started five horses in the finals, including entry-mate in this race, Gimmebackmybullets.

The gelding did not start as a freshman and now has $157,986 on his card.

2-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES — Tessel

A New York Sire Stakes Championship was 40 years in the making for Paul and Pauline Nower, but along with nephew Doug Lasher, they were finally able to capture one with 2-year-old pacing filly Tessel in a track and stakes record time of 2:00.2.

“We never pushed her all year,” explained Lasher of how his filly came on strong at the end of the Sire Stakes season and peaked for the final. “Tonight was the first time that we let her out and she raced well.”

Jack Bailey trains the daughter of Conway Hall who was bred by Allevamento Labambolaccia of Italy.

Jack’s son Bill directed the filly to victory for his first on the Night of Champions. He sat coolly with his charge in fourth as the leaders went three-wide into the second turn after a 28.2 first quarter. He then found cover to climb up the outside of the field and win by three-quarters of a length.

“I was smiling,” said the driver of early speed and three-wide move of his competition. “I was out a long way (from the half), I had to wait a while to get clear, but she was very good tonight.”

2-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES — Paula’s Best

Paula’s Best became Larry’s best on Saturday as the freshman pacing filly won her final in 1:55 for owner Larry Roman. Although the owner was not able to attend, his Pro Bono Best filly dropped Teen Talk’s 12-year-old Night of Champions record of 1:56.2 and a track record of the same time.

Jim Morrill Jr. was in the bike for trainer Ross Croghan and cut the mile with the filly, who won two starts ago at Batavia on the front end.

“I figured she’d get a little respect since she won at Batavia like that,” said Morrill. “She really does it easy. She covers the ground and it doesn’t feel like she’s going as fast as she does.”

Bred by Fred Hertrich and Lew Arno, Paula’s Best now has career earnings of $139,075.