'Senor' glides to track record in Champlain win

Senor Glide established a new track trotting record for two-year-old colts and geldings with a powerful 1:55.2 victory in one of three Champlain Stakes divisions on Sunday night at Mohawk Racetrack.

 

Driver Tim Tetrick swept the other two divisions, winning with Break The Bank K(1:56.2) and Il Villaggio (1:56.1).

 

Senor Glide left alertly from post two in the opening $112,666 division for driver Dan Dube and watched as Sombrero Hall put up the first fraction of :28.2. Dube put his colt in gear in the second quarter and took charge just before the half of :58.2.

 

From there, the son of Yankee Glide - Yankee Senorita turned on the afterburners, leading past three-quarters in 1:27.2 and then kicking in with a :28 second final frame to lock up the victory. Zorgwijk Kingpin rallied from far back to pick up the place spot narrowly over Grumpy Jake.

 

The clocking lowered the previous track record for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters of 1:55.3 which was held jointly by Windsong Espoir and Glidemaster. It was the second win in eight outings this season for the Jimmy Takter trainee and increased his earnings to just over $129,000 for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding and Frederick Hertrich.

 

In the second division, which went for a purse of $114,667, Break The Bank K made the front from post 10 for driver Tim Tetrick and was able to wire the field in 1:56.2. Federalreservenote chased the winner all the way to the finish but had to settle for second with Talented Jon finishing well back in third.

 

"I've watched him and raced against him at the Meadowlands and stuff, and he's very talented and has a lot of speed," said Tetrick. "He beat some good colts there early in the Sires Stakes, and I just barely nosed him out in the final with a colt [Il Villaggio] that I'm driving later for Tony Alagna.

 

“Early on he got a little hot, so they've been trying to keep him quiet the last few starts. He's too calm they said, so they said to let him know you're back there going to the gate. He's was perfect tonight and had no problems at all; he got out of the gate good and he was a verynice colt tonight."

 

It was the fifth win in eight starts this year for the son of Revenue S - America Mist who is conditioned by Richard Gillock. The lion’s share of the purse bumped him up over $180,000 in seasonal earnings for owner Robert Key of Leechburg, Pa.

 

In the final $114,667 split, the highly-regarded Il Villaggio used a furious stretch rally to overcome a traffic troubled trip and win in 1:56.1. The son of Yankee Glide - Dance To Market was able to haul down the tempo-setting Text Me with longshot Keystone Swagger landing the show spot.

 

"He loves to run horses down, if he's got a target he's going to go after it," said assistant trainer Tony Alagna of the $2.90 winner. "He likes to win, it's surprising to say with a horse that only has fourl ifetime starts but he likes to win.

 

“We didn't make him eligible to the Haughton which is not out of the ordinary for us, and he popped a splint after the Jersey final. It kind of worked out by design that we were able to give him some time and take care of the splint. I brought him up here two weeks ago to get him acclimated, get him over the track and make sure everything was okay.”

 

The victory was the third in just four starts for Il Villaggio who is conditioned by Erv Miller for Brittany Farms, Blue Chip Bloodstock and Il Villaggio Partners. The winner’s share of the purse vaulted him past $173,000 in seasonal earnings.

 

All three colts are eligible to the upcoming William Wellwood Memorial Trot with eliminations scheduled for next Sunday night at Mohawk. (WEG)