Tioga Downs: Woodside Charm just misses track record in soggy New York Sire Stakes

Normally it would be Winndevie drawing headlines after improving to four wins from four starts in her life, but Woodside Charm stole her thunder later on the card with an eye-opening 1:55 2/5 mile in the third and final $36,566 New York Sire Stakes division for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Friday night at Tioga Downs.

Coming to New York after a 1:55 4/5 win on July 14 at Hoosier Park, Woodside Charm (Verlin Yoder), was dispatched at 3-5. She tried to make the front from the outside post seven, but 5-2 second choice Conway Kellyanne (Charlie Norris) drove through to her inside, forcing her into the pocket through opening-half fractions of 28 1/5 and 58 3/5. Yoder pulled the trigger again with Woodside Charm off the second turn, and she would overhaul Conway Kellyanne this time, taking command and opening up a gap to the 1:26 2/5 three-quarters. Woodside Charm was on cruise control from there, trotting home in 29 seconds flat to defeat Stella Jane (Jim Morrill Jr.) by 3 3/4 lengths. Sensibility (Mike Simons) was the third-place finisher.

That 1:55 2/5 clocking just missed the track record for the division by a fifth of a second, made even more impressive by the fact the track was rated sloppy and two seconds off.

A daughter of Chapter Seven, Woodside Charm is also owned and trained by Yoder, and she has earned $22,033 to go with her two wins. Woodside Charm, out of the Muscles Yankee mare Fireworks Hanover (1:55 2/5, $15,525) and bred by Av And Son Bloodstock LLC., is a half-sister to Explosive Matter (1:52 3/5, $1,510,542). She returned $3.30 to win.

Back in the opening $35,866 section, Winndevie (Jim Meittinis) remained perfect thanks to a 1:58 performance. Amal Hall (Marcus Miller) moved into the lead past the 30 1/5 opening quarter, then hit the half in 1:00 3/5 and three-quarters in 1:29 2/5, with Winndevie, who pulled first-up from fourth nearing the half, edging closer. Winndevie and Amal Hall battled side-by-side through the stretch, but Winndevie got her measure, prevailing by a neck. Qiss Blue Chip (Rick Zeron), the first leader, checked in third.

Trond Smedshammer trains and Purple Haze Stables LLC. own Winndevie, a Credit Winner filly. She added this win to previous New York Sire Stakes scores at Batavia, Monticello, and Yonkers and has now earned $51,008. Winndevie was bred by Joie De Vie Farm LLC., was acquired for $68,941 at the Standardbred Horse Sale, and is the first foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Vida De Vie (1:57 2/5, $140,206). The 3-5 favorite, Winndevie paid $3.50 to win.

Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) bagged the middle $36,566 split in 1:56 1/5. She worked out a second-over trip behind Thanks For Leaving (Jeff Gregory), angled out for the stretch drive, and came on to win by three-parts of a length over Without A Doubt (Miller), who also rallied from third-over. Thanks For Leaving wound up third.

Gareth Dowse trains the victorious daughter of Chapter Seven for owner/breeder Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc. Quincy Blue Chip has a trio of victories from four trips behind the gate, and she has now pocketed $65,057. Quincy Blue Chip is the fourth foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Sirenuse (1:55 1/5, $113,780), making Quincy Blue Chip a full sister to Ostrich Blue Chip (1:53 1/5, $138,343). Quincy Blue Chip returned $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.