AI and Titans Mischief were the winners in two New York Sire Stakes divisions for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Monday afternoon at Monticello Raceway.
With Jason Bartlett in the bike in the first $53,500 grouping, AI was two-wide from post three in the early stages and worked past the 29 1/5 quarter to get the lead away from Secured (Ake Svanstedt). AI then hit the half in 1:00 and the three-quarters in 1:30 1/5 as Svanstedt sent Secured to the outside before the latter station. AI was able to keep Secured at bay, though, and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:59 1/5. Spencer Hanover (Brett Beckwith) tipped out in the lane after an inside trip and also got by Secured to finish second.
Late on the last turn AI was inside pylons, but following an inquiry the judges made no change to the order of finish and the result was made official.
A Chapter Seven colt bred by Steve Jones, AI is trained by Ron Burke and is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He has won both of his starts so far, has earned $64,550 and paid $2.70 as the favorite.
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In the second $52,500 split Angry Pete (John Stark Jr.) got to the front nearing the 30 4/5 quarter, and on the second turn, the race was down to just him and Titans Mischief (Matt Kakaley) as the other three horses had made breaks. Angry Pete reached the half in 1:01 2/5, and Titans Mischief had a gap to close, which he was able to do prior to the 1:32 3/5 three-quarters as Kakaley moved him off the pylons.
It looked like Titans Mischief was going to win handily as he took command on the far turn, but Angry Pete had other ideas as he battled back gamely on the inside to the wire. He couldn't get back around Titans Mischief, though, coming up a neck shy in the 2:01 3/5 mile. Read The Room (Svanstedt) was third after he made a miscue in the two-hole past the quarter.
Trainer Bruce Clarke bred Titans Mischief, a colt by E L Titan, with John Coffey and Megan Beauchamp, and Clarke and Coffey are the co-owners. Titans Mischief, who was second to AI in the sire stakes at Saratoga on June 22, broke his maiden, has now banked $45,150 and returned $4.10 to win as the favorite.