Buffalo: Amal Hall crushes track mark in NYSS

Another track record fell on Wednesday (July 11) night at Buffalo Raceway as Amal Hall ($3.20) did the honors this time with a hard-fought neck victory in her $36,000 (approx.) division of New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for the 2-year-old filly trotters.

Amal Hall (Andy Miller) went the mile in 1:59, blowing away the previous mark of 2:00 set last season by Plunge Blue Chip. It was the tenth track record either broken or tied at Buffalo Raceway in 2018.

Miller swept the NYSS early daily double as he guided With Out A Doubt ($3.70) to the win in 2:00 4/5 while Safe Word ($5.10) captured the final bracket with a 4-3/4 length decision in 2:01 with Jeff Gregory in the bike.

In the opener, Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) set the pace while Sensibility (Scott Zeron) and Amal Hall tucked into second and third respectively. Approaching the three-quarter marker, Miller tipped Amal Hall first over and began to chip into the lead turning for home.

Eventually Amal Hall wore down the pace-setting Quincy Blue Chip and managed to stick a neck in front at the wire for the win. Sensibility took the show position.

"When I pulled her out, she kept going faster and faster," Miller said of Amal Hall. "I am happy with her performance. She's a nice filly."

Co-owned by the Andy Miller Stable, the Getty Stable and the Dumain Haven Farm, Amal Hall (Credit Winner-Arabella Hall) is trained by Julie Miller. The win was the second in three tries this season for Amal Hall who pushed her earnings to $47,058.

Miller made it two straight as he used the passing lane to give With Out A Doubt a three-quarter length score over Gobi Princess (Zeron) and Exotic Diamond (Morrill Jr.).

Summermusic'chapter (Dan Daley) set the tempo with splits of 30, 1:01 1/5 and 1:31 2/5 but was under siege as the field turned for home. With Out A Doubt dropped to the 'lightning lane' and was the quickest in the dash to the wire.

Co-owned by Ross Bonafield, Robert McCarthy and James Moran, With Out A Doubt (Conway Hall-Queen Of More) is trained by Erv Miller. The win was the first in three attempts for With Out A Doubt, now a winner of $29,140.

The final division was a stroll for Safe Word as she went right to the lead and never looked back in posting a solid 4-3/4 length triumph over Liquorstoreblues (Morrill Jr.). It's My Party (Sam Schillaci) took the show position.

Safe Word posted splits of 30 3/5, 1:01 4/5 and 1:32 and had no threats in cruising to the finish line.

Owned by driver/trainer Gregory, William Richardson, Martin Garey and Henry Wieseneck, Safe Word (Credit Winner-Fifty Shades) has now posted two wins in three starts, earning $44,321.

Miller finished the night with three wins as he drove Song Chapter ($5.00) to a victory in a $15,000 division of the Excelsior A Series with a mile of 2:04. Barn Tease ($5.10) took the other leg as Claude Huckabone Jr. steered her to the decision in 2:03 2/5.

In the $6,600 Excelsior B events, Ms O'Reilly ($12.60) took her race for Gregory with a 2:04 4/5 mark while Morganslovin Dream (Daley) trotted the mile in 2:04 2/5 and returned $5.10 in the victory.

Racing will continue on Friday night at 5 p.m. with a 10-race program scheduled.

-edited releaxse (Brian Mazurek for Buffalo)