Tioga: Hat trick for Bartlett in Excelsior A Series finals

On Friday afternoon, Tioga Downs played host to this year's eight $50,000 New York Sire Stakes Excelsior A Series finals for 2-year-old and 3-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes.

Jason Bartlett bagged three of the finals, taking the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace with Mullinax (by American Ideal) in 1:53 2/5 for trainer Mark Ford and owner Bill Varney; the 3-year-old colt and gelding trot with Conquest AS (by Conway Hall) in 1:55 4/5 for trainer Anette Lorentzon and owner-breeder ACL Stuteri AB, and the 3-year-old male pace with Uhtred (by Art Major) in 1:51 1/5 for trainer Carmen Auciello and owners Earl Hill Jr. and Stephen Klunowski.

"It's been a really hard year on everybody, and this is one bright spot," said Ford about Mullinax's win. "I certainly wish the late Ed Mullinax, who the colt is named for, was here to have raced him. Ed was a great guy to do business with, but an even greater guy to hang out with. He was a good friend. All of the money Ed made in the business he reinvested, and it's a huge loss to all of us that he's gone. The owner of this colt, Mr. Varney, is another really stand-up guy."

Coming in right behind Bartlett were drivers Marcus Miller and Scott Zeron, who each posted an Excelsior A Series final double.

Miller was the winning driver in the 2-year-old filly trot with Just Joshing (by Chapter Seven) in 1:58 2/5 for trainer Julie Miller and owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Windsong Stable, and Dumain Haven Farm, and in the 3-year-old filly pace with Bolt Of Beauty (by Bolt The Duer) in 1:52 3/5 for co-owner/trainer Erv Miller and co-owners Tanah Merah Farms LLC. and Sara Miller.

Zeron visited the winner's circle after the rookie filly pace with Dresden (by Roll With Joe), who tallied in 1:54 1/5 for trainer Chris Ryder and owner-breeder Henderson Farms and following the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot, which he took with Royson's Punch (by Chapter Seven) in 1:57 for trainer Linda Toscano and owners R-And-I Farms LLC. and Camelot Stable Inc.

Rounding out the day's champions was Credit Winner daughter C And T's Credit, who backed up her Excelsior A Series title in 2019 with another one in 2020 in the 3-year-old filly trot, prevailing in 1:55 1/5 for driver Wally Hennessey, trainer John Stark Jr., and owners Peter Barbato and Sam Bova Racing LLC.

--Ford quote courtesy of Tioga Downs--