Tioga: Fast miles by the freshmen in their NY Sire Stakes finals

Dexter Dunn doubled and three of the four $200,000 New York Sire Stakes finals for 2-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Tioga Downs saw a track record eclipsed or matched.

In the event for colt and gelding trotters, heavily-favored Crown (Brian Sears) wound up on the rim until just before the fast 55 3/5 half where he was able to wrestle command away from Cecil Hanover (Ake Svanstedt). The wide trip and hot pace took its toll on Crown, though, and he was overtaken by a pocket-pulling Cecil Hanover nearing the 1:24 3/5 three-quarters.

Kierkegaard K (Mark MacDonald), the second Svanstedt-trained horse in the event, moved up to challenge his stablemate turning for home and took a slim lead in the upper part of the stretch, but The Gruffalo (Dexter Dunn) had tracked Kierkegaard K's live cover, fanned out in the lane, and got up to win by a length in 1:53 3/5, equaling Jack Vernon's track record for a rookie trotting colt. Kierkegaard K and Cecil Hanover rounded out the top three.

"He really felt good the whole mile. We really got the perfect tow, and he trotted up good after that," said Dunn.

Trainer Mark Harder also co-owns The Gruffalo, a Chapter Seven-Clementine Dream colt who was bred by Concord Stud Farm and bought for $75,000 at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale, with partners Racing Team Of America, Deena Frost, and Emma Pettersson. The Gruffalo has compiled a record of 4-1-0 from seven appearances, pushed his bankroll to $193,075, and returned $15.00 to win as the 6-1 second choice.

Kayleigh S (Sears) went widest from third-over on the last turn and was able to out-foot Ruth Honig (Tim Tetrick) in deep stretch to win the filly trot final in 1:55 4/5, joining sister Joviality S as a New York Sire Stakes champion. Defiant Lady (Jason Bartlett) got up for third.

"The last couple of starts she hasn't been quite as sharp, but she was ready today," remarked Sears. "They raced pretty hard in the third quarter. I was a little bit out of position, but she was able to overcome it and raced well."

Marcus Melander trains Kayleigh S, who is out of the Muscle Hill mare Pasithea Face S, for owner Courant Inc. The AM Bloodstock-bred Kayleigh S has put away $205,132 from her four wins and a third in six attempts, and she returned $9.50 to win as a 7-2 offering.

American Fling (Bartlett) and Huntinthelastdolar (Doug McNair) threw down after the 1:21 2/5 three-quarters in the colt and gelding pace, and American Fling finally wore down Huntinthelastdolar from first-up in the closing strides to take the championship by three-quarters of a length in a track record 1:50 2/5. Bandito Joe (Matt Kakaley) came in third.

"My horse is so quick off the gate. I was just going to get him there and then kind of take it from there," said Bartlett. "You've got to have a few plans because nothing goes accordingly in these finals. You've just kind of got to read and react.

"He got sick and got a little hurt after, I think it was the Batavia race. They gave him some time off and found out what was wrong and brought him back. They qualified him really good last week, and they said he was as good as he was early in the year. I really think that's what won us the race. I can't say enough about [trainer] Eddie Hart. He's just a class act, and there's no other person I'd rather win this final for than him."

The victorious son of American Ideal-Feeling You is trained by Hart for the ownership group of Randy Bendis, Reed Broadway, and Pollack Racing LLC. American Fling, who was bred by White Birch Farm and brought $25,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, made his fifth appearance in the winner's circle from eight efforts, and he has now pocketed $239,320. He paid $13.40 to win as a 5-1 shot.

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Twin B Joe Fresh gave Dunn another victory in the filly pace. She popped out of the pocket after the 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, blew by leader Vivians Dream (Jordan Stratton), and pulled away to score by 2 1/4 lengths in a track record 1:50 4/5. Earthwindfire (Tetrick) and Rock My Socks (Bartlett) completed the top three.

"I was full of confidence," stated Dunn about his feelings coming into the race. "She's had a really good year, but there were a couple of other nice fillies in there, especially Jordan's one that beat her last start. I was still confident.

"She's definitely got a brain on her. She's a smart filly, and she's a big girl, too. She's done it any way now, which is great, and she did it pretty easy today. She's got the Kentucky final in eight days down in Lexington, so hopefully she's okay for that."

A Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze filly bred by Brittany Farms, Twin B Joe Fresh is trained by Chris Ryder, and he also shares ownership of her with Dunn, Peter Trebotica, and Barry Spak. Acquired for $65,000 at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale, she has earned $264,412, hasn't missed the exacta in seven trips behind the gate (5-2-0), and she returned $4.00 to win as the even-money favorite.