Landmark Stakes headline Goshen card

It was the first day at Kindergarten at Goshen Historic Track on Saturday (July 3) as seven divisions of Landmark Stakes for 2-year-olds were contested. Many of the contenders earned their first paychecks, including two from the Linda Toscano stable.

 

In a $6,236 Landmark division for 2-year-old pacing colts, Major Way (Art Major-Feminine Ways) made quick work of the field. Leading wire-to-wire and driven by Jordan Stratton, he crossed the quarter in :29.4, the half in 1:02.2 and the three-quarters in 1:31.4. Major Way got his first paycheck in a time of 2:01.4 by 2-1/2 lengths for owner Kenneth Jacobs.

 

“He’s a nice little guy, he’s done everything right all winter long,” said trainer Linda Toscano. “I know he’s perfect for the half-mile track, which is just what we want for the New York Sire Stakes. He’s slick-gaited, he’s got quick speed and he’s really very, very nicely mannered. We’re shuffling off to Buffalo (for the first round of juvenile New York Sire Stakes) next.”

 

Toscano was quick to give credit to owner Kenneth Jacobs for selecting the colt as a yearling.

 

“I don’t pick ‘em,” she said. “Ken picks out his own horses, he always has. Once in a blue moon, he’ll ask me to look at a horse, but I never saw this horse until he sent him to me. He’s done nothing wrong. Ken has an incredible record of picking out his own.”

 

The Toscano–Jacobs partnership was back in the winner's circle in another Landmark 2-year-old pacing colt division with Thomas J. The son of Artiscape-Perfect Purchase also went wire-to-wire, this time with Steve Smith at the reins. The fractions were :29.1, 1:00.3, 1:29.4 and 1:59.2 for the win by 8-1/2 lengths.

 

“I actually picked this one out,” said Toscano. “It happened very different from what normally happens. Ken was at Morrisville Sale, trying not to buy a horse. I saw this colt and I talked him into going down to look at him. When he went to look at him he said, ‘OK, I like him, I’m going to buy him,’ and he did.”

 

Thomas J is trending upwards after giving Toscano a hard winter.

 

“He’s been very, very lazy and a difficult horse to kind of get going,” she said. “I love when this happens -- in the last month, month and a half, he started to figure it out and started to go faster and he got better and better. That’s usually a good sign. This was really a pleasant surprise. I expected him to be OK. I didn’t expect him to be this good.” (HRC)