Tioga Downs: Barn Bella equals track record in New York Sire Stakes

Barn Bella, sent off at 10-1, tied the track record for a 2-year-old trotting filly at Tioga Downs when she won the first of three New York Sire Stakes divisions on Friday night in 1:55 2/5. Amber Ella and Mighty Surf, who improved to four-for-four in her career, took the other splits.

Driven by Claude Huckabone Jr., Barn Bella put up panels of 29 1/5, 58 4/5, and 1:26 4/5 in the $36,566 event, then threw in a 28 3/5 final kicker for good measure to join Jolene Jolene and You Want Me in the record book as the fastest 2-year-old filly trotters to ever tour Tioga Downs. Mamora Bay (Sam Schillaci) was the runner-up, beaten 7 1/2 lengths by Barn Bella, with Scarey Karie (Phil Fluet) back in third.

Trainer Steven Pratt also co-owns Barn Bella, a daughter of Conway Hall, with Nancy Pratt and Purple Haze Stables LLC. Barn Bella, who had been plagued by breaks in her previous New York Sire Stakes tries, now has a pair of wins from five starts, and she has earned $19,808. Barn Bella is out of the SJ's Caviar mare Bravissima, a half-sister to New York Sire Stakes champion Coraggioso (Conway Hall, $677,398). Barn Bella paid $23.40 for the upset victory.

In the next $35,866 section, Flyhawk Charm (Jim Taggart Jr.) had the advantage through fractions of 29, 1:00, and 1:28 2/5, but 5-2 second choice Amber Ella (Mike Simons) took over the lead in the stretch from first-over, and she would pull clear to prevail by a length and a half in 1:58. Public choice Sunshine Delight (Jim Morrill Jr.) was second, followed by Zdenka (Marcus Melander).

Amber Ella is from the first crop of Chapter Seven, and she is trained by Linda Toscano for her Camelot Stable Inc. and Enviro Stables Ltd. Amber Ella broke her maiden in her second start, and she has now banked $19,133. A $35,000 Standardbred Horse Sale buy, Amber Ella is out of the Mr. Lavec mare Blushed, making her a half-sister to Newcastle (Cantab Hall, $153,530). Amber Ella returned $7.10.

The lone favorite to win in the New York Sire Stakes events was Mighty Surf (Morrill Jr.), who took the $36,566 nightcap in 1:57 after she showed the way through stations of 28 1/5, 57 3/5, and 1:26 2/5. She defeated Heels On Wheels (Matt Kakaley) by 2 1/4 lengths, and Busy Doing Nothing (Mark Etsell) checked in third.

Dennis Laterza trains Mighty Surf, a filly by Prayer I Am, for owner/breeder Roy Dobbins. Mighty Surf has now earned $58,916 from her four victories, which have all come in New York Sire Stakes competition. She is out of the Big Victory mare Big Surfer, and she paid $4.40 for the victory.