Goshen closes meet with 12 fair races

The rain held off, the grandstand was packed and local horses charged their way into the winner’s circle at Goshen Historic Track during the final day of racing in the 2007 meet on Wednesday. A total of 12 New York County Fair races were held at the half-mile oval.

The 80-year-old Howard “Doc” Gill, a retired Pine Bush veterinarian, steered his Giant Hit colt Giant Sun to victory in the 2-year-old trot. The colt won his elimination division after breaking stride at the start and then returned later on the card in the final to cut the mile in a career mark 2:07.4. Gill owns, trains and bred Giant Sun, who is a full brother to the mare Miss Gibbons, a winner of $297,000 and a New York Sire Stakes championship, all under Gill’s direction.

Another set of local connections directed Bullvillelightning to the winner’s circle in the 3-year-old pace. Goshen resident Stephane Bouchard steered the colt to a second-place finish in New York Sire Stakes action Saturday at Goshen and then back for the County Fairs on Wednesday. The pair won their elimination by a mere nose over Henry Westbrook III’s ODB, but returned in the final to win by 1 ¾ lengths over the same foe in 1:59. Steve Crevani of nearby Bullville, N.Y., trains the homebred son of Bettor’s Delight for his wife, Carole.

The 3-year-old trot was raced in three divisions instead of elims and a final and Goshen-trained Nervey’s Giant demolished his field with a 34-length victory in 2:05.3 when every other competitor broke stride in the mile. David Dziengiel trains and drove the son of Giant Hit for Montgomery’s Robert Zigrossi and breeder Fred Rappa. This was the first victory of the colt’s short career of three starts.

Ironstone Wiz proved the most skilled in the 2-year-old pace, winning his elim by open lengths and returning in the final to score in 2:01.1. The Magical Mike gelding was trained and driven by Ned Urbanski for New Jersey owner Bryan Naftalis. (HHBNY)

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