Saratoga hosts six divisions of NYSS action

Juvenile colt and gelding pacers embarked on their New York Sire Stakes journey Friday as six divisions of the opening leg were contested at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, with Hay Goodlooking putting forth the top performance of the night, winning his $36,367 division in 1:56.2.
 
Starting from post six with conditioner Gates Brunet at the lines, Hay Goodlooking ($3.20) showed little interest during the early stages of his Sire Stakes pace, dropping back to sixth place before getting underway from the back of the pack through an opening quarter-mile in :29.
 
As the field traversed the second turn of the mile, Hay Goodlooking began to gather momentum and overpowered the field with one aggressive charge towards the front, claiming the top spot through middle fractions of :58.4 and 1:27.3.
 
The son of Art Major entered the stretch with a 1 ½-length advantage, and only faced mild pressure down the lane, holding his rivals at bay to prevail by that same margin while pacing the final panel in :29.
 
Owned by Theodore Gewertz, Samuel Dotro, and Deborah Brunet, Hay Goodlooking is now unbeaten in two career outings, adding a 1:55.1 triumph at Vernon Downs on July 8 to his Friday Sire Stakes conquest.
 
The Erv Miller-trained Spacehill ($2.50) tallied the third consecutive victory of his brief career when stopping the timer in 1:56.4 to capture his $36,367 New York Sire Stakes division for the ownership of Joshua Demon Hill and Edna Collins.
 
Driven by Jim Morrill Jr., the son of Art Major settled briefly in third place through an opening quarter that went in :27.3, but seized control of the race with one bold move on the second turn, clearing the front to clock middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:27.4 before coasting under the wire unchallenged to post a 2 ¾-length victory.
 
Mixed Media ($5.00) paced the second fastest Sire Stakes mile of the night when leading every step of the way en route to a 1:56.3 victory in his $37,067 split for Anthony and Alma Iafelice, trainer Bill Mackenzie, and driver Dan Cappello Jr.
 
The son of Art Major cut fractions of :28.3, :58.4, and 1:28 before coming home in :28.3 to prevail by 1 ¼ lengths and notch his first career victory.
 
Stake Your Claim 3 and Radio Racing Stable’s Brass Band ($6.70) chose an opportune time to break his maiden, winning his $37,067 Sire Stakes division in 1:58.4
 
After tracking the early leader from the pocket through fractions of :28.4, 1:00, and 1:30.2, the son of Art Major slipped through the passing lane to thrust his neck in front in the final yards, claiming victory for trainer Linda Toscano and driver Stephane Bouchard.
 
Mathias Meinzinger'a My Last Laugh ($4.00) rebounded from a second-place performance in a division of the Reynolds Memorial Stakes at Pocono to capture his $37,067 Sire Stakes split by three-quarters of a length in 1:57 for driver/trainer Ray Schnittker.
 
Classical Art ($17.40) found the wire first in the final $37,067 Sire Stakes event of the evening, getting up in the shadow of the wire to prevail by a nose in 1:58.2 for owner Tom McTygue and driver/trainer Brian Cross.
 
The victory marked the second trip to the winner’s circle for the son of Art Major, who will have 25-percent of his ownership auctioned off as part of the 26th annual Saratoga Hospital Summer Auction held on July 30.
 
While the sextet of Sire Stakes events were undoubtedly the highlight of the Friday card, Canadian-invader Pablo Angus may have put forth the most impressive performance of the night, equaling the track-record for an aged gelded trotter when taking the $15,000 Open Trot in 1:56 for owner Mario Bourgea, trainer Bert Belanger, and Cappello. (Saratoga)

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