by Todd Haight, marketing coordinator, Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — Three $63,305 New York Sire Stakes races for 2-year-old trotting fillies were held at Batavia Downs Gaming on Wednesday night (September 3) and to say it was a rough night for the favorites would be an understatement.

In race 10, the third and final division, Philip Hale’s Sister Marcy, a Credit Winner-Howard’s Sister filly took the short way around en route to a 1-1/4 length victory at odds of 24-1. Larry Stalbaum was in town for the drive for trainer Dave Dewhurst. The time of the mile was 2:02.3.

New Hampshire Girl, with trainer/driver Ray Schnittker, held a stretch lead and came in second while Up In Class with veteran trainer/driver Jan Johnson closed up to be third. La Marchesa, the even money betting favorite, made a costly break going into the first turn and never recovered.

Sister Marcy raised her earnings to over $70,000 and the win, which was the second of her career, was a new lifetime mark.

Paul White photo

Carman M’s 2:01.3 time was the fastest of the three NYSS races.

Carman M, given a great steer by trainer/driver Gates Brunet, pulled off the mild upset at odds of 5-1 in race five, the first division of the New York Sire Stakes. Leaving alertly from post six, Carman M (Conway Hall-Tuscany Dream) craved out the early fractions of :29.3 and 1:01.3, but relinquished the lead to favored Beachcomber and Jan Johnson. They had recovered from an early break and were now in command racing to the three-quarters in 1:31.1.

Heading around the final turn, Brunet was able to avoid trouble when Beachcomber made another break and out trotted a first-over Porque to the wire in 2:01.3 to win by a head.

Carman M is owned by the partnership of Ted Gewertz, Sam Dotro, Martha Frank and Deborah Brunet. Scoring for the first time, Carman M raised her earnings to over $69,000.

Dream Edition was given a well-rated drive by Jim Devaux in taking division two. Shooting right to the top, Dream Edition (Turbonator-Nehana) set pedestrian like fractions of :32.1 and 1:05 and then stepped on the gas to trot to the three-quarters in 1:35 and went on to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 2:05.1. Pink Ruffles, with former Western New York regular John Stark, Jr., sat the two-hole and came in second, besting a first over Allie Jae with another Western New York regular, Norm Fluet, in the bike. Favored Snowblind Lindy made a break at the start and could only manage fourth.

Dream Edition ($9.20) is trained by Andrew Byler for owner Roy Dobbins. She won for the second time in her career and raised her earnings to $55,000.

The 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters get there turn on Friday night (September 5) when New York Sire Stakes action continues. Post time will be 7:05 p.m. In town to drive will be Brian Sears, currently ranked second in all of North America with $12 million in purse earnings and ranked tenth in wins with 366.