Saratoga Harness: Four-bagger for Sears, Melander in Friday's stakes

Brian Sears and Marcus Melander joined forces to win two New York Sire Stakes splits and a pair of New York Excelsior "A" Series races for 2-year-old male trotters on Friday evening at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

In the first $39,350 New York Sire Stakes division, Crown went first-over for Sears coming to the 58 2/5 half, and despite an extended uncovered grind, was able to wear down leader Chapercraz (Trond Smedshammer) in the lane to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:57 1/5. The Strawboss (Jim Devaux) came up the passing lane from the pocket and was second, and Chapercraz had to settle for third.

Crown, a Chapter Seven colt bred by Order by Stable AB, is trained by Melander for owner S R F Stable. A $250,000 yearling buy, Crown was making his pari-mutuel debut after finishing fourth and first in two baby races at the Meadowlands. He paid $2.50 to win as the favorite.

Kilmister and Sears turned a second-over trip into a 2:00 victory in the last $38,650 Sire Stakes split. Barney Goldstein (Brett Crawford) was second and Sevecheetah (Trond Smedshammer) finished third.

Courant Inc. owns the Melander-trained Kilmister, a Chapter Seven colt who was bred by Moni Market Breeders. Purchased for $170,000, Kilmister won in his first pari-mutuel try after a win and a second in two baby races at the Meadowlands, and he returned $2.40 to win.

Kaleun (2:01 1/5) and You Got It (2:04), both by Chapter Seven, were the Sears/Melander victors in the New York Excelsior "A" Series events. Kaleun, who was bred by Winbak Farm, is owned by Courant Inc., and You Got It, bred by John Cummins, is owned by Steve Heimbecker.

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The Gruffalo (Jeff Gregory) got up in the lane after tipping out of the pocket on the final bend to win the second of the four sire stakes tests in 1:58 2/5. He was able to chase down pace-setter (30 2/5, 1:00, and 1:29 1/5) Useyourlovetonight (Aaron Byron), and Kennebago (Sears) rallied from seventh to third in the final quarter of the $38,650 race.

Trainer Mark Harder also co-owns The Gruffalo, who was bred by Concord Stud Farm and bought for $75,000, with partners Racing Team Of America, Deena Frost, and Emma Pettersson. He won at first asking after coming in third and first in two qualifiers at Harrah's Philadelphia. The Gruffalo was dispatched at odds of 16-1 and paid $34.60 to win.

Completing the sire stakes victors was Met Your Request (Andy Miller), who bagged the third $38,650 flight in 1:58 2/5. Met Your Request led at the 29 3/5 opening quarter, let a two-wide Trump De Vie (Mickey McGivern) clear past that marker, then re-moved to the top before the 1:00 2/5 half.

Kilgore S (Brian Sears) surged first-over into the lead on the way to the 1:29 2/5 three-quarters, but he couldn't clear, and Met Your Request battled back on the final bend to take command again before he kicked clear to get a two length victory. Jax Spratt (Hennessey) was the runner-up, followed by Kilgore S.

Julie Miller trains Met Your Request, a gelding from the first crop of Met's Hall, for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc. and Caroll Huffman. Bred by Daniel Roland, Met Your Request has a record of 2-0-1 from three starts, has pocketed $28,229, and returned $9.20 to win as a 7-2 offering.