Saratoga Harness: Town Gossip, King James Express shine in NY Sire Stakes

On the day before the Thoroughbred meet begins in Saratoga, the New York Sire Stakes circuit was in town for a pair of divisions for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

In the first $77,300 flight, Southwind Petyr (Jason Bartlett) worked his way around Town Gossip (Joe Bongiorno) for the top spot passing the 27 1/5 opening quarter. From there, Southwind Petyr was able to keep command through a 56 2/5 half and a 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, with that 26 4/5 third quarter ending a first-over bid by favored I'll Drink To That (Matt Kakaley).

When I'll Drink To That dropped back on the far turn, that gave Town Gossip a path to come to the outside, and after he got off the cones, Town Gossip was able to out-finish Southwind Petyr to win by three-parts of a length in a life's-best clocking of 1:51 1/5. I'll Drink To That held second over Major Makover (Mark MacDonald).

Town Gossip, who was bred by Winbak Farm, is an American Ideal gelding trained by Jenn Bongiorno for owner Robert Weinstein. This was Town Gossip's fifth win from 15 career starts, and he has now earned $219,533. He was the 3-1 third choice and paid $8.40 to win.

The other $78,700 split saw Major Bean (Kakaley) hustle to the engine from post five and put up fractions of 28, 56, and 1:24. Meanwhile, 3-5 choice King James Express settled in fourth and picked up cover from Stop Staring (MacDonald) heading to three-quarters. Stop Staring couldn't advance forward any longer past three-quarters, so King James Express had to go three-wide to get around him early on the far turn and also had work to do catch the front-stepping Major Bean, who was called on by Kakaley to try and accelerate while King James Express was sweeping wide.

Major Bean turned for hom first and stood his ground, but despite the dull cover and the early wide move, King James Express had the best kick in the lane, and he was able to get past Major Bean en route to winning by a length in 1:53 3/5. Natameri (Wally Hennessey) surged from seventh to third in the last quarter.

Last year's New York Sire Stakes champion, King James Express is co-owned by trainer Mark Harder in partnership with Deena Frost, Wayne Carleton, and Dean Lockhart. King James Express, an Art Major gelding bred by Dr. Greg Dey, has a record of 5-0-4 from 19 lifetime appearances, and he has now pocketed $263,306. He returned $3.40 to win.