Saratoga Harness: Rookie pacing males duel in New York Sire Stakes

MGM Springfield Stakes winner Pleaseletmeknow backed up that victory by taking one of five New York Sire Stakes tilts for 2-year-old male pacers on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Driven by Matt Kakaley in the last $28,000 division, Pleaseletmeknow raced in the pocket behind longshot Howulikemenow Ray (Jim Devaux) through a 28 4/5 opening quarter and a 59 3/5 half, but attacked two-wide on the third turn. Howulikemenow Ray managed to stave off Pleaseletmeknow to the 1:27 3/5 three-quarters, but Pleaseletmeknow did forge his way by midway through the final bend, then edged clear to win by a length and a half in 1:55 4/5. Bluesville (Scott Zeron) was second, and Twin B Deluxe (Jason Bartlett) took third.

A gelded son of American Ideal-I Said Please (Well Said) trained by Travis Alexander for owner/breeder Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC., Pleaseletmeknow has a record of 3-1-0 from four career starts, and this win pushed his bankroll to $109,900. The 1-9 favorite, Pleaseletmeknow paid $2.10 to win.

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Tyler Buter was the winning driver in two of the other splits, tallying from off-the-pace with Stretch The Line (1:55 1/5) in the first $28,500 grouping, and on the engine with Forrest Blu (1:54) in the third $28,500 flight.

Stretch The Line, a Huntsville-Jessalilmixup gelding, overcame an early miscue to get the win for owner-trainer Erv Miller. A $16,000 Goshen Yearling Sale buy that has three wins and $26,342 banked, Stretch The Line was bred by Eric Taddeo. He returned $4.80 to win.

Forrest Blu, a Roll With Joe-Lima Fairest gelding, is trained by John Butenschoen and owned by breeder Crawford Farms in partnership with Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc. and James Crawford IV. This was his second victory from four trips behind the gate, and he has now pocketed $25,425. He paid $9.00 to win.

Kingsville (Bartlett) took the second $28,500 section in 1:54 1/5 after leading through fractions of 27 2/5, 57 4/5, and 1:26 3/5. A Huntsville-Artchitecture colt, Kingsville is trained by James Lackey for owners D Racing Stable Inc. and B & I Stables LLC. Kingsville, who was bred by Vieux Carré Farms, was a $23,000 Goshen Yearling Sale purchase. He broke his maiden in his second try, has now put away $16,250, and returned $6.90 to win.

Rounding out the New York Sire Stakes victors was Top Genius (Zeron), who rallied by leader Hurrikane Chuck (Mark MacDonald) in the lane after a pocket trip to win the fourth $28,000 test in 1:55 3/5. An American Ideal-Above Average colt bred by Robert Newman, he was a $62,000 Standardbred Horse Sale buy for Coen, Derocker, Camelot Stable, and Decker. Top Genius, who is trained by Linda Toscano, picked up his first win in his second attempt, has now stashed away $18,200, and paid $10.20 to win.