Batavia, NY --- A fast track and driver Jim Morrill, Jr. is what the 'Doctor' ordered, Doctor Butch that is, as he set a new Batavia Downs track record for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers in a $36,900 division of the New York Sires Stakes on Wednesday night (August 1). Before the dust settled another speed record would fall.
Doctor Butch, a 2-year-old Art Major-Classical Yankee colt, went the mile in 1:54.2 to beat the old mark of 1:54.4 set in 2010 by Flipper J and matched by Forever Just in 2011.
Morrill took Doctor Butch ($2.60) to the lead just past the quarter pole and was never threatened down the lane. He used fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:26.1 in setting the new mark and beating Thirty Two Red (Ray Schnittker) by 1-1/2 lengths.
Doctor Butch is owned by Ken Jacobs and is trained by Linda Toscano. The victory pushed Doctor Butch's earnings to more than $90,000. It was his third win in five starts.
The other two $36,900 divisions of the Sires Stakes produced respectable times, but didn't threaten the new record set by Doctor Butch.
Swift As A Shadow took the second division, nipping Bet The Moon by a head at the wire in 1:56. Driven by Morrill, the Bettor's Delight-Flibbertigibbet colt pulled at the half-mile marker and held on from there.
It was the second win of the season for Swift As A Shadow who is owned by Winbak Farms and it gave Linda Toscano her second Sire Stakes win of the evening.
In the third and final division of the Sire Stakes, Americasgottalent took control just before the quarter pole and held off all challengers with Jason Bartlett in the sulky.
Owned by Eugene Kurzok and trained by Ron Burke, Americasgottalent, a son ofAmerican Ideal-Sunduel A, used fractions of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:28.1 to register the victory in 1:56.3.
It was the second win in five starts for Americasgottalent and increased his winnings to more than $50,000.
Not to be outdone was Up Front Kellie Jo who shipped in from Yonkers Raceway and set the older mares track record with a time of 1:53.4 in the $9,000 Open Mares Pace. It beat the mark set by Artistry In Rhythm in 2010 of 1:54.
Quicksilvercandy A with Larry Stalbaum paid the price to be the boss, clearing a reluctant Ella V Horse (Dan Noble) at the half in a sizzling :54.3.
Mark MacDonald pulled the four hole with Up Front Kellie Jo and brushed to the front, hitting the three-quarter pole in 1:24.3. From there it was a race against the clock as Up Front Kellie Jo rolled to her seventh win of the season and pushed her season's earnings to nearly $120,000.
In the Excelsior Series for freshman pacing colts and geldings the winners were Ronny Bugatti ($2.50), JK Even Steven ($2.10), I'm An Athlete ($11.00), Visa Viper ($3.90) and Down And Dirty ($2.30).
Jim Morrill, Jr. made five winner's circle visits while MacDonald recorded three wins on the night and another Yonkers regular Jason Bartlett scored a double.Linda Toscano enjoyed her visit to Batavia Downs as she had a training triple andMark Ford a double.
New York Sire Stakes action continues on Friday night when 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters get their turn. There will be three divisions worth more than $38,000 each. The Excelsior Series races feature four divisions worth $12,700. First post is scheduled for 6:25 p.m.