Buffalo: Mark MacDonald brings out the broom in NYSS

Mark MacDonald drove Bomb Hugger and Cash Infusion to wins in the pair of $57,000 New York Sire Stakes splits for 3-year-old trotting fillies that were held on Wednesday afternoon at Buffalo Raceway.

Bomb Hugger got away in the pocket in the first division but moved to the outside and went by Pure Countess (Jim Morrill Jr.) to take the lead nearing the 29 1/5 opening quarter. Bomb Hugger then backed down the tempo to 59 2/5 at the half, but Gertrude (Tyler Miller) went first-over from third after that marker.

It would be a duel between Bomb Hugger and Gertrude to the 1:28 2/5 three-quarters and onto the last turn, but Bomb Hugger repelled the challenge and maintained command to the wire, winning by a neck in 1:57 2/5. She's A Scorcher (Jason Bartlett), who trailed in fifth into the stretch, rallied up the passing lane to finish second, and Pure Countess ended up third.

A daughter of Chapter Seven bred by Order By Stable, Bomb Hugger is trained by Ryan Swift for owner Thestable Bomb Hugger Group. Bomb Hugger has won half of her 12 career starts, she has now earned $156,780, and she paid $7.70 to win as the 5-2 second choice.

While none of the fillies miscued in the first grouping, Seven On The Rocks (John Stark Jr.), In A Tiny Way (Mike Simons), and La Vie En Blanc (Bartlett) all made breaks on the first turn in the second flight, leaving Gettinmystepsin (Andy Miller) and Cash Infusion (MacDonald) to decide things between themselves.

Gettinmystepsin hit the quarter in 30 2/5, the half in 1:00, and the three-quarters in 1:30 1/5, but MacDonald angled Cash Infusion to the outside on the far turn, and she was able to out-kick Gettinmystepsin through the stretch, tallying by a neck in 1:59. Seven On The Rocks recovered to finish third.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Trainer George Ducharme also co-owns Cash Infusion, a Chapter Seven filly bred by Jonas Schlabach, with partners W.J. Donovan, Purnel & Libby LLC., and Joe Sbrocco. Cash Infusion has a record of 5-3-2 from 17 lifetime tries, she has now pocketed $109,498, and she returned $6.70 to win as the 2-1 second choice.

In a $15,000 New York Excelsior "A" Series event, Je Suis Si Belle ($2.10) crushed the Buffalo Raceway 3-year-old filly mark of 1:57 set in 2018 by Fury Road and in 2019 by Amal Hall by covering the mile in 1:56 1/5 over the fast track. The record time also equaled the all-aged filly and mare trotting standard registered by Chelseas Chance in 2018.

Andy Miller, who is also a co-owner, drove Je Suis Si Belle, a daughter of Chapter Seven, for co-owner/breeder Crawford Farms and co-owner Mortgage Boys Stable.

--additional reporting by Buffalo Raceway--