Tioga: Grand slam for Huntsville progeny in Empire Breeders Classic finals

Sons and daughters of Huntsville won all four Empire Breeders Classic finals for 3-year-old pacers that occurred on Sunday afternoon on a big day of stakes action at Tioga Downs.

The Claw (Jim Morrill Jr.) started things off with a 1:51 1/5 tally in the first $122,000 EBC for the colts and geldings. The Claw moved up on the outside to take over the top spot before the 54 4/5 half and kicked away in a 29 second last quarter, winning by 3 1/4 lengths over Huntanover (Tyler Buter). Stretch The Line (Marcus Miller) was third.

"Jake [trainer Jake Leamon] told me he's kind of a lumbering colt. Once he gets there, he'll go and he'll go plenty, but you've got to keep his attention," relayed Morrill Jr. "I wasn't messing around for $122,000."

Leamon trains The Claw, bred by Steve Jones, for owners Kenneth Klein, Michael Cimaglio, William Salmeri, and Stephen Demeter. The Claw, who didn't race as a 2-year-old, has a record of 7-2-2 from 13 starts in 2022, has now pocketed $119,360, and paid $9.60 to win as the 7-2 third choice.

All About The Hunt (Jordan Stratton) bided his time in fifth through fast fractions of 25 4/5, 54 2/5, and 1:21 4/5 in the second $120,700 EBC for the boys, went widest off cover on the far turn, and got up in the lane to prevail by half a length in 1:50. Bounty Hunter (Buter) was second at 60-1, and big favorite Early Action (Brian Sears) had to settle for third after taking over the lead from first-up racing to three-quarters.

"It couldn't have played out any better for this horse," said Stratton about the hot pace. "He's very fast. I think he was going to win last week [in the sire stakes leg at Tioga], and he kind of made a dirty break there around the last turn. Driving for the Burke Brigade, you never have to worry about how they're rigged up. You just drive them to win, and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't."

All About The Hunt was bred by Crawford Farms and is owned by them in partnership with Heather Marshall. All About The Hunt, trained by Ron Burke and also unraced as a freshman, has four wins and two seconds from eight efforts, pushed his bankroll to $101,336, and returned $19.20 to win.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Max Contract (Andy Miller), who saw her run of Grand Circuit wins end in the James M. Lynch Memorial at Pocono in her most recent appearance, captured the first $111,500 EBC split for the fillies. Max Contract bided her time in third through opening-half panels of 26 2/5 and 55 2/5 set by Lee Loo (Joe Bongiorno) and Wickedly Innocent (Kakaley), then went first-over past the half. Max Contract went by Wickedly Innocent on the rim before the 1:22 three-quarters and then paced a 28 1/5 last quarter to pull away and win by three lengths in 1:50 1/5. Wickedly Innocent staved off Gotthegreenlight (Jason Bartlett) to get second.

"I kind of wanted to chase horses today. Last time I put her on the front, and she got a little lost. When she's got a target, she's pretty tough," Andy Miller remarked. "She's really quick for a piece, and she can carry it a long way. Hopefully she keeps it going all year long."

Also bred by Steve Jones, Max Contract is trained by Julie Miller for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Steve Heimbecker, and Jean Goehlen. Max Contract has seven victories from nine lifetime outings, has now put away $248,654, and paid $2.70 to win as the favorite.

Nadina Hanover (Bartlett) posted stations of 27 1/5, 56 2/5, and 1:24 in the other EBC tilt for the fillies, which also went for $115,000, and turned for home on a clear lead. However, Valar Dohaeris (Mark MacDonald), who followed Kele Kele (Kakaley) from second-over before losing that cover when Kele Kele went into the pocket on the last turn, hit top stride in the stretch and was able to chase down Nadina Hanover in the closing yards to get the victory by half a length in 1:52 2/5. Wine N Dine Me (Sears) rallied for third.

"You've got to stay on her and she's a workout, but there's no quit in this thing late," MacDonald stated. "Right down to the wire she was digging, and she got there."

Trained by Ake Svanstedt and owned by Knutsson Trotting Inc., Valar Dohaeris was bred by Lst Stables and William Devan. She made her fourth appearance in the winner's circle from 14 trips behind the gate, shows earnings of $159,965, and returned $4.00 to win.