Morrill wins three in NYSS action

The best race card thus far of the season at Monticello Raceway  featured the crème de la crème of the New York Sire Stakes program, the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers who raced for a total purse of $175,000 in five divisions on Wednesday. But the races were hampered by rain that got continually worse as the afternoon progressed.

 

Not surprisingly, once again in NYSS action  it turned out to Jimmy Morrill Jr. day. The talented reinsman won three of the five divisions including an easy victory with Hypnotic Blue Chip in 1:56.4 in the fifth race over the muddy race course.

 

After they started from post six in their $35,000 split Morrill took the Hypnotic Blue Chip back  and let the field settle. And once all were in line Morrill brushed  the son of Art Major-Atraceofmagic to the lead and it was all over except for the shouting.

 

Hypnotic Blue Chip had gained command before the quarter mile time flashed :29.4  and Morrill kept his colt moving and they passed the halfway point in :58.2 with Ray Schnittker and My Last Laugh shadowing him. But following was all that My Last Laugh--and the four others could do--as Hypnotic Blue Chip rambled  by the three quarters in 1:27.3 and finished three lengths ahead of Schnittker’s colt in 1:56.4.

 

Morrill, who never says too much  and really wasn’t inspired with the rain pouring down just smiled and accepted congratulations.

 

It marked Hypnotic Blue Chip’s ninth seasonal victory which upped his seasonal earnings to $254,640 for co-owners Rachel Frost, Stable 45 LLC , Robert Murphy and Mark Harder; the latter also doubles as the colt’s trainer.

 

However, in the first division prior to the rains coming down, Diamond Stickpin and Howard Okusko, Jr.  turned back a solid field which included the 2-5 Hay Goodlooking, who unfortunately went offstride in the first turn which produced a groan from those who wagered on the favorite.

 

But the bettor’s misfortune turned out to be good luck for Okusko.

 

He sent Diamond Stickpin to the lead from post four and they circled  Hay Goodlooking who started  from the two hole. Just as Diamonmd Stickpin cleared Hay Goodlooking went offstride and Okusko found himself alone on the lead at the quarter in 28.1. From there Diamond Stickpin raced on the front end throughout the rest of the mile and finished a one-length winner over Very Upset Richie and Jordan Stratton in a 1:55 clocking.

 

“Every time we got in together Gates (Brunet, Hay Goodloooking’s driver) was inside of me and I know if I let him take the lead try to come first-up I can’t beat him. So today I tried to get around him early and thought I’d  race in front and let him come first-up. But when Hay Goodloooking made a break I felt  pretty confident in my colt’s chances of winning,” Okusko said, before adding, “If he (Diamond Stickpin) would grab on (the lines) a little more and pay more attention to what he’s doing he’d be even better.”

 

The son of Bettor’s Delight-Silkanddiamonds paced the first half-mile in :58 and the last half in :57, which makes one wonder how good could he be if Okusko’s assessments are correct.

 

It was the fourth victory in eight seasonal starts for Diamond Stickpin who’s owned by Conrad Zurich, Edwin Gold and the Purple Haze Stable.

 

Morrill also won the third $35,300 division with OK Braveheart by 4 1/2 lengths in a time of 1:57.4 over Mysterious Moment and driver Stephane Bouchard with the rain pouring down. In this one too, Morrill waited until all were settled in a line and then moved OK Braveheart to the front and it was ballgame. The son of Bettor’s Delight-Color Me Beachy, owned by David Scharf, Rick Phillips and Chuck Pompey, increased his seasonal bankroll to $119,744.

 

Morrill’s other victory was with Spacehill when the son of Space Shuttle-Matts Life turned back a fast-closing Chase The Sun, driven by Bouchard, by a neck in a 1:56.2 clocking over the muddy track.

 

For Spacehill, it was his fourth win in eight seasonal starts and now has bankrolled $75,277 this year. He’s owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Joshua Hill, Edna Collins and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

 

And the final NYSS $35,300 split saw Handsome Harry easily annihilate his competition and roll on to his 10th seasonal triumph while increasing his earnings this year to $132,740. Jason Bartlett drove the son of Dream Away-Princess Jocelyn to a wire-to-wire 1:57 victory over Redneck Outlaw who was handled by Billy Dobson.

 

Proud owners Ralph Del Priore Jr and Harry Doyle, the latter for whom the homebred was named, were on hand for the blanket presentation but they weren’t alone as a group of folks came to the winners circle to congratulate them and tell them that they follow Handsome Harry to most of the racetracks at which he has raced thus far and hope to continually do so.