There were five New York Sire Stakes races for two-year-old trotting fillies contested at Buffalo Raceway Wednesday night (July 7) and trainer-driver Ray Schnittker won four
of them. Three races were valued at $27,442, while the other two were worth $26,942.
Schnittker started the night off guiding Allister Stables' Sweet Possession, a Conway Hall offspring, to her first pari-mutuel win in 2:04.3.
“Her mom [Northernpossession] was a :54 trotter,” said Schnittker. “I got a really nice two-hole trip, and she was strong in the lane.”
His second win came aboard the $100,000 Harrisburg purchase Carme Blue Chip, whose 2:04 clocking tied the fastest trotting mile of the night. Owned by the Carme Stables of Middletown, New York, this Credit Winner filly, out of the Sir Taurus mare Sir Dream, also won for the first time this year.
Another two-hole trip was the secret, along with a sensational :29.4 last quarter-mile put the winner a head in front of Imageofasweetday (John Stark, Jr.) at the wire.
The easiest win came with Jezzy, an 8-3/4 length winner, who just won the $82,800 Acorn Stakes at the Meadowlands in 1:57.3, :26.4 last quarter-mile. Jezzy, another Credit Winner filly, shot right to the lead from Post 2, and had things her own way setting all the fractions, :32.2, 1:04.1, and 1:35.1, finishing off the mile in 2:04.1. Note the very impressive 1:00 flat last half.
Schnittker owns a piece of Jezzy along with Tioga-Vernon owner Jeff Gural, Jerry Silva, and Theodore Gewertz. Tap Tap Dance (Dan Daley) came in second.
Epona Blue Chip capped off the grand slam for Schnittker, winning by a half-length over Steuben Loretta (Claude Huckabone, Jr.) in the night’s fastest time, 2:04. An $80,000 Harrisburg purchase, Epona Blue Chip is a Conway Hall freshman, who also won for the first time this year.
Gates Brunet guided Some Girls (Conway Hall-Emotional Rescue) to her first win of the year, in the only other Sire Stakes race that team Schnittker didn’t win. The four-length victory over hometown favourite Limerick Lightning (Dave McNeight, Jr.) went in a season’s best 2:04.1.
(Buffalo Raceway)