Saratoga Harness: Svanstedt's students sharp in New York Sire Stakes

Gangsta Talk and Mr Mouton, a pair of Chapter Seven colts making their pari-mutuel debuts for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt, took the two New York Sire Stakes flights for 2-year-old male trotters that were featured on Monday afternoon's program at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Starting from post seven in the opening $77,300 flight, Gangsta Talk moved up three-wide for Svanstedt after leaving quickly and got to the top before the 29 2/5 opening quarter. He would be challenged past that marker by El Commando (Kyle Swift), but El Commando was unable to clear and dropped down into the pocket on the second turn. After dispatching El Commando's early try, Gangsta Talk got to the half in 1:00 and the three-quarters in 1:29 1/5, with 1-2 favorite Civilian Drone (Brett Beckwith) first-up and looming at the latter station.

Svanstedt and Gangsta Talk survived the first-over attack by Civilian Drone and were clear turning for home, but Gangsta Talk threw in some steps in the lane, which allowed the closers to have a chance. Global Sensation (Dexter Dunn) was moving best from third-over, but he just ran out of racetrack, with Gangsta Talk holding on by a head in 1:58 4/5. Global Sensation wound up second and Civilian Drone saved third despite the uncovered journey.

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Bred by Ab Svensk Reklamfinans, Gangsta Talk, who is the first foal out of the unraced Muscle Hill mare Gangsta Rat, was a $65,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase for Ake Svanstedt Inc., Stable Why Not, Little E LLC. and Jorgen Sparredal Inc. Making his first appearance off a fifth-place finish in a baby race at the Meadowlands on June 8, Gangsta Talk was sent off at 12-1 and paid $27.40 to win.

In the other $78,700 test, Mr Mouton and Svanstedt clicked off fractions of 28 1/5, 58 3/5 and 1:28 1/5, put away a first-over attempt by stablemate/entrymate Happy Jack B (Wally Hennessey) on the final turn and kept clear from pocket-sitter Super Chapter (Dunn) to prevail by a length and a quarter in 1:57 3/5. Karinchak (Mark MacDonald) collected third.

Mr Mouton was bred by R. Kevin Greenfield and went to owners Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC., Stolz Geiger and Jorgen Sparredal Inc. for $140,000 at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Mr Mouton, who won his lone baby race at the Meadowlands on June 8 by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:57 4/5, was part of an entry that was favored at 4-5 and returned $3.70 to win.