Saratoga Harness: Dime A Dance begins New York Sire Stakes title defense with victory

Dime A Dance, last year's New York Sire Stakes champion 2-year-old pacing filly, started her state-bred season on Friday night in Saratoga and won her $59,100 split in 1:54. Time On My Hands and No Clouds Bluechip scored in the other divisions.

Driven by Matt Kakaley, Dime A Dance popped the pocket to take control at the 27 3/5 opening quarter. She faced a bit of first-over pressure from parked-out longshot Endowment (Larry Stalbaum) at the 57 second half and to the 1:25 3/5 three-quarters, but past that marker it became a two-horse race between Dime A Dance and pocket-sitter Angels Rockn Pink (Mark MacDonald).

In the stretch MacDonald guided Angels Rockn Pink into the passing lane, but Dime A Dance used a 28 2/5 final quarter to close out the win by three-quarters of a length. Right Stuff (Jim Marohn Jr.) finished third.

Ron Burke trains Dime A Dance, a daughter of Roll With Joe, for owners Our Horse Cents Stable, Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., and J And T Silva Stables LLC., all of New York. This was her sixth career victory, and she has now earned $269,539. She paid $2.20 as the 1-9 favorite.

Time On My Hands (Jason Bartlett) began the sire stakes with a 1:53 2/5 tally. She led through fractions of 27 2/5, 57, and 1:25 2/5, then kept Encore Deo (Jim Morrill Jr.) at bay through the stretch to win by a length and a half. Mother Of Art (Kakaley) grabbed third.

The winner is a daughter of American Ideal trained by Chris Ryder for owners Michael Robinson, Robert Mondillo, Steve Cheatham, and BFJ Stable of Ohio, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. She has now won five times in her career and shows earnings of $204,982. She returned $3.00.

Race favorite Soft Idea (Morrill Jr.) had control through stations of 27 3/5, 56 3/5, and 1:24 4/5 in the other NYSS test, but No Clouds Bluechip (Mark Beckwith) came through in the passing lane off a pocket trip to win by a length and a half in 1:53 2/5. Art Critic (Kakaley) was up for second, and Soft Idea had to settle for third.

John Berger trains No Clouds Bluechip, a filly by Roll With Joe, for the ownership group of Richard Carney, Farrell Carney, and Barbara Berger, all of New York. This was her fourth lifetime triumph, and she has now banked $157,371. She paid $5.80.