Two-year-old male trotters ventured to Saratoga Casino & Hotel for two New York Sire Stakes events on Sunday afternoon.
In the first $76,950 test, Muir Woods (Tyler Buter) went to the lead from post one and forced a two-wide Angry Pete (John Stark Jr.) to back off into the pocket past the 29 3/5 quarter. Who's Eyes Blues (Yannick Gingras), then attacked out of fourth before the 59 2/5 half-mile station and cleared Muir Woods for the top spot on the third turn as Angry Pete made another move to the outside.
Who's Eyes Blues hit three-quarters in 1:28 2/5, but on the last turn both him and Muir Woods broke, allowing Secured (Ake Svanstedt), who had watched all the action on the inside in third and fourth to take the lead. Secured would cruise to the wire after that, defeating Angry Pete by 3 1/2 lengths in a 1:59 2/5 mile while Muir Woods wound up third.
Svanstedt also trains and co-owns the victorious Chapter Seven colt with partner Obm Stable. Secured, bred by Ftm Racing Stable LLC., won in his career debut off a second-place finish in a baby race at Pocono and paid $8.60 to win.
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The other $75,600 flight saw Read The Room (Svanstedt) cut fractions of 29 1/5, 59 3/5 and 1:29 1/5, but he would be passed on the last turn by Titans Mischief (Matt Kakaley), who had gone first-over out of fourth past the half. However, AI (Gingras), who had sat in the pocket, was able to tip out before the top of the stretch to track Titans Mischief, then out-footed him in the lane to prevail by a length and a quarter in 1:58 3/5. Titans Mischief had to settle for second and Read The Room faded to third.
Another colt by Chapter Seven, AI was bred by Steve Jones and was sent out by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. AI, who also was a winner in his lone qualifier at Gaitway, prevailed in his first pari-mutuel outing and returned $9.90 to win.