Buffalo: Gotthegreenlight lowers track record in NYSS victory

Gotthegreenlight obliterated the Buffalo Raceway track record for a 3-year-old pacing filly of 1:53 3/5 in the first of two $58,100 New York Sire Stakes divisions on Wednesday afternoon, defeating American Ticket by a nose in a 1:52 2/5 performance. Joyride Hanover won the other grouping, giving driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Nifty Norman a sweep of the event.

American Ticket (Mark MacDonald) fired out from post two and battled with April Angel (Jim Morrill Jr.) until forcing her to back off into the pocket coming to the 28 2/5 opening quarter. Meanwhile, Gotthegreenlight was able to get away in third from post five. American Ticket continued to show the way to a 57 second half and a 1:25 three-quarters, with Gotthegreenlight moving out first-over heading to the latter marker. Entering the last turn, Bartlett was able to briefly move Gotthegreenlight into the pocket as April Angel began to back up, but Gotthegreenlight was back out and two-wide midway through the bend.

In the stretch American Ticket dug in gamely, and it looked like she might be able to hold on, but Gotthegreenlight was able to sustain her rally and got past the pace-setter at the wire by the slimmest of margins. Kele Kele (Tyler Buter) was a well-beaten third.

"We had the middle of the (starting) car and knew there was speed on the inside," Bartlett said of sitting back in the beginning. "We didn't want to go out but wanted to stay in contact."

A daughter of American Ideal bred by Dr. Stephen P. Dey, Gotthegreenlight is owned by Patricia Stable and Kovach Stables LLC. The defending New York Sire Stakes champion for this group, Gotthegreenlight has compiled a record of 9-1-0 from 14 starts and has earned $280,456. She paid $3.30 to win as the 3-5 favorite.

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In the other flight, Joyride Hanover and Bartlett gunned out from post one but let a two-wide Superbly (Morrill Jr.) clear as they raced in the backstretch for the first time. Bartlett wanted no part of the pocket, though, and re-moved his filly to the point prior to the 30 1/5 opening quarter.

Joyride Hanover didn't have an anxious moment from there as she got away with soft middle-half fractions of 59 3/5 and 1:28 2/5 before she used a 27 1/5 last quarter to draw off and tally by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:55 3/5. Superbly held second from Fly Like An Angel (MacDonald).

"She's a handy filly," Bartlett said of Joyride Hanover. "She's great gaited and gets around the turns really well. I knew with the rail we could push out really hard and we got the trip we wanted."

Another American Ideal filly, Joyride Hanover was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and is owned by Eric Good. This was her fourth win from 14 lifetime tries, and she has now pocketed $217,510. The 7-5 second choice, she returned $4.80 to win.

--quotes courtesy of Buffalo Raceway--