Buffalo: Amal Hall matches track record for three-year-old filly trotter

Amal Hall, racing in the Excelsior A Series, stole the show in New York Sire Stakes action for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Sunday afternoon at Buffalo Raceway by tying Fury Road's 1:57 track record for the division.

Driven Jason Bartlett, Amal Hall pushed on to the front past the 29 2/5 opening quarter and would go on to hit the half in 59 2/5 and the three-quarters in 1:29. A track record effort seemed unlikely off those panels, but Amal Hall had other ideas, as she opened up at will through a 28 second final kicker to win by 11 lengths over Southwind Tinker (Kevin Cummings) and take a place in the record book at the half-mile oval.

"I didn't even realize it was a track record," admitted Bartlett. "I knew we were going fast, and if I knew if we were close to the record, we would have went for it. She did it easy, but the main thing is we got the win."

Trained by Julie Miller, Amal Hall is a daughter of Credit Winner owned by Andy Miller Stable Inc., GTY Stable, and Dumain Haven Farm. This was her fifth career win, and the winner's share of the $15,000 purse boosted her career earnings to $161,691. She was the 1-5 favorite and paid $2.40 to win.

As for the two $57,600 top-level sire stakes splits, Bartlett took the first one of those as well, guiding Winndevie to a 1:58 2/5 win. 1-2 favorite Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) took the lead passing the 29 3/5 opening quarter, and after she got away with a half in 1:00 3/5 and a 1:30 2/5 three-quarters, it appeared it would academic. Winndevie had other ideas, though, as she swung out first-up from third in the final quarter and just out-quickened Quincy Blue Chip, getting up in the last jump to win by a nose. Hanna Dreamgirl (Scott Zeron) collected third.

"That wasn't the trip I really I wanted," Bartlett said. "I wanted to be on the back of Quincy Blue Chip, but it worked out anyways.

"We made a couple of equipment adjustments on her for this track. She got around that last turn really good, and she loves to have a target. I thought we got the win, but after seeing the photo, it was closer than I thought."

Winndevie, the defending sire stakes champion for the group, is a Credit Winner filly trained by Trond Smedshammer for owner Purple Haze Stables LLC. She made her eighth appearance in the winner's circle, and she has now pocketed $309,081. Sent off as the 3-2 second choice, she returned $5.10 to win.

Sensibility (Zeron) darted to the lead from post two in the other flight, led through panels of 29 2/5, 1:00 1/5, and 1:28 4/5, dispatched a first-over middle-half move from favored Sweet Chapter (Matt Kakaley) and reported home a length and a half to the good in 1:57 1/5. Blue Ribbon Gal (Morrill Jr.) was second, with Sweet Chapter third.

"She's disappointed before on the front-end, but today was just a culmination of her good races recently," Zeron said. "You have to capitalize on getting to the front-end here at Buffalo Raceway. I didn't know what to expect, but (trainer) George Ducharme said she was as good as she's ever been."

Ducharme trains and also co-owns Sensibility, a filly by Muscle Mass, with partners W.J. Donovan, Joe Sbrocco, and Jim Winske. Sensibility broke her maiden in her 13th opportunity, and she has now banked $180,452. Racing as part of an entry that was the 5-2 second choice, she paid $7.40 to win.

--quotes courtesy of Buffalo Raceway--