Buffalo Raceway: Track record equaled twice in New York Sire Stakes

Straight A Student and Fad Finance both tied the Buffalo Raceway track record of 1:58 2/5 in winning the pair of $60,200 New York Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Sunday afternoon.

Driven by Mark MacDonald, Straight A Student led early, but then released Goosebump Hanover (Jim Morrill Jr.) to command past the 29 1/5 opening quarter. Goosebump Hanover would continue to show the way at the 59 1/5 half and the 1:29 1 /5 three-quarters, but Lindylicious (Kevin Cummings) moved first-over out of third to challenge on the final bend, with Straight A Student still back in the pocket.

In the stretch the top three fillies fanned across the track and battled to the wire, but it was Straight A Student getting the nod in the passing lane. Lindylicious finished a head back in second, and Goosebump Hanover was another neck back in third.

"I just wanted to make it around the first turn," MacDonald said in getting Straight A Student to the winner's circle. "I knew if I followed Goosebump Hanover around the track, I'd be where I wanted to be in the end."

Trainer Paul Kelley also co-owns Straight A Student, a daughter of Credit Winner, with partners Abraham Singer, Frederick Westerman, and SRF Stable. This was her third win from 13 career starts, and she has now earned $92,675. The 1-2 favorite, Straight A Student paid $3.10.

In the other division Fad Finance (Morrill Jr.) clicked off an opening quarter in 29 1/5, but Swinging Royalty (Chris Lems) moved up first-over to join and then overtake Fad Finance. Swinging Royalty reached the half in 58 seconds and the three-quarters in 1:28 4/5, but just like in the opener, there was a first-over challenge on the final turn from a first-over attacker as Monarchs Sequel (MacDonald) came with a rush from fourth.

It was a three-filly dash to the wire again in the lane, and again the passing lane proved the place to be, as Fad Finance got up to score by a nose over Monarchs Sequel. Swinging Royalty wound up third.

"I did all I could do to keep her in the two hole," Morrill Jr. said of Fad Finance's journey. "If I could have gotten her free down the backstretch, we probably would have won by five lengths."

The winner is another Credit Winner filly, trained by Trond Smedshammer for owners Purple Haze Stables LLC., Marc Goldberg, and Rojan Stables. She is now seven-for-14 in the win column in her career, and she has now banked $129,988. Sent off at 3-5, Fad Finance returned $3.50.

--quotes courtesy of Buffalo Raceway--