Morrill also wins four NYSS at Monticello

Bulletproof Enterprises' Final Curtain won the first $39,864 division in a romp for Morrill. The son of Pro Bono Best-Lola cruised through fractions of :27.2, :55.2 and 1:24.4 before finishing in a time of 1:54.2 some 16 lengths ahead of his nearest rival Alpine Jubilee, driven by Brian Allen. Sargent Major and Billy Parker Jr. were third best in that contest.

Trainer Kevin McDermott, who's enjoying a big season at the Meadowlands, was on hand to watch his pupil in action over the double oval

“Right now, off his (Final Curtain’s) 1:48.2 win (at the Big M) in late May. he’s he fastest 3 year old in the country, one tick faster than Somebeachsomewhere’s win Saturday at the Meadowlands. But we don’t expect that mark will stand for long,” McDermott laughed.

Morrill was again victorious in the second NYSS split when he guided On The Brink to a stunning come-from behind head victory over heavily-favored Corner Blitz (Stephane Bouchard) in 1:54.3.

Perhaps Morrill was one of few who wasn’t shocked by the results, saying, “He’s (On The Brink) in down (in company) from where he was racing at Mohawk in Canada,” referring that On The Brink has been competing against the best sophomore pacers in the world including the outstanding Somebeachsomewhere. “He faced some nice colts today but certainly not the caliber he was racing recently in Canada.”

Corner Blitz held on for second with Jessies Classy Art garnering the show dough for Jordan Stratton.

Aaron Waxman, Alan Alber and trainer Duane Marfisi are the winning owners of the son of Dream Away-Tiburon Jane.

Morrill came right back to win the third split with Wire To Wire Enterprises and Steve Golberg’s Lislea Miles, a son of Lislea-L’etoile, in a time of 1:54.4.

In that one Morrill sent Lislea Miles to the front and gained command in a :27.2 quarter. Once on the front end Lislea Miles cruised along unchallenged until the backstretch until favored Art Glass (Bouchard) ranged alongside the leader and at that point Lislea Miles shifted gears and paced away and was an easy two-length winner at the finish in a 1:54.4 clocking. Art Glass held on for second money with Sailing Cruise (Stratton) finishing third.

 After the winner's circle presentation Morrill was asked which of the three colts he drove consecutively to Sire Stakes victories this afternoon is the best, to which he chuckled and said: “You don’t really think I’m gonna (sic) answer that, do you?”

Morrill was again behind a serious challenger in Capote in the fourth division but his pacer made a break before the start and finished off the board. Riggins and driver Ray Schnittker gunned out for the lead and took command on the first turn and once in front the NYSS freshman champion looked like his own self as he paced to a five-length victory in 1:54.1 over Major Hottie and driver Bouchard.

Back for the blanket presentation Schnittker seemed irked that Riggins, who just paced a mile in 1:50 flat at the Meadowlands (though he finished fifth), was rated 9-2 on the morning line.

“He’s was the best Sire Stakes colt last year and I can’t believe they had him at 9-2,” Schnittker said incredulously. 

Asked why he decided to put Riggins--who ended up being the betting favorite--on the lead from post position six Schnitkker said, “ It was an easy decision. When I saw Morrill’s horse (Capote) make a break I decided to take Riggings to the front where  I knew he’d be tough to beat from there.”

Riggins, a son of Art Major-Towner’s Image, is proud property of Buffalo Boys Stable Howard Taylor, Frank Baldassare and Dave Pepin.

Morrill again found himself in the winner's circle after he reined Phil Fluet and Keith Franklin’s Cessna Flight to a 1:56.3 victory in the fifth split. This time Morrill raced the Dream Away-One Sad Sister gelding from behind and rallied late to overtake the pacesetter Professor Jeff  in the final turn and then hold off the late-charging Here Comes Kris (Stratton) and Majority Party (Jason Bartlett) who finished second and third, respectively.

“He (Pembroke Dandy) gets a little hot if he’s rushed out of there and I wanted him to be on his best behavior so I took him away easy,” Bailey related. “Once he’s settled down he’s OK.”

After trailing the field in the early going Bailey got the son of Pacific Fella-Just Fine N Dandy rolling after the half and when the field reached the three-quarter pole Pembroke Dandy paced by the leaders and opened up daylight at the finish. JK Born To Run, driven by Stratton, worked their way between horses to get second money. The betting favorite, The Race Is Own, driven by the hot-handed Morrill, could do no better than third. (Monticello)

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