Vernon: Destined To Dance fastest in NYSS races

Destined To Dance, Aela Jamieson, and Iteration went to the winner's circle after the three New York Sire Stakes divisions for 2-year-old filly trotters on Saturday afternoon at Vernon Downs. All three victorious fillies are daughters of Chapter Seven.

In the first $33,600 grouping Dream Chapter (Mark MacDonald) shot out to the front from post six and hit the opening quarter in 26 4/5 and the half in 57 1/5. Destined To Dance (Tyler Buter) was out and moving first-up from fourth at the half, and she would take the lead on the outside prior to the 1:25 4/5 three-quarters. Although she was able to get an advantage on the rim, Destined To Dance was not able to clear Dream Chapter, and they would battle throughout the stretch drive. Destined To Dance would stay game, though, winning by three-parts of a length in 1:54 4/5. Me Three (Brian Sears) got third from the pocket.

John Butenschoen trains Destined To Dance for co-owner/breeder Crawford Farms and co-owners Heritage Standardbreds and Rich Preziotti. Destined To Dance, out of the Credit Winner mare Go Go Dancer (1:57 1/5, $176,488), is a half-sister to former multi-time New York Sire Stakes leg winner Heels On Wheels (Conway Hall, $180,811, 1:57). Destined To Dance, who paid $3.10 to win, has won all four of her starts in the New York Sire Stakes program, is four-for-five overall, and has put away $86,656.

Tranquility K (Larry Stalbaum) was in control at the 28 second opening quarter in the next $34,200 section, but she would yield to favorite Insured AM (Sears) past that point. Insured AM backed down the half to 57 3/5 and the three-quarters to 1:27 3/5, but Aela Jamieson (Andy Miller) angled out three-wide from second-over and rallied with a 28 3/5 final kicker, going on to score by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:56 2/5. Insured AM had to settle for second, with Tranquility K third.

Aela Jamieson, who was bred by Vito Cucci and was purchased for $145,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, is trained by Julie Miller for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Dumain Haven Farm, and Little E LLC. Aela Jamieson, the second foal out of the Muscle Hill mare Blk Thai Optional (1:58, $21,695), a half-sister to Martiniontherocks (Conway Hall, 1:55 3/5, $498,658), broke her maiden in her third chance, and she has now earned $19,543. Racing as part of an entry that was the second choice behind Insured AM, Aela Jamieson returned $5.40 to win.

Iteration (Sears) went all the way on the lead in the last $33,600 split. Starting from post four, she took control before the 27 1/5 quarter, got away with soft middle-half fractions of 58 1/5 and 1:28, and sprinted home in 27 2/5 to defeat pocket-sitter Splash Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) by three-parts of a length in 1:55 2/5. Moni For Lindy (MacDonald) collected third.

Bred by Order By Stable, Iteration was grabbed for $250,000 at the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale and is out of the unraced Muscle Massive mare Steamy Windows, making Iteration a full sister to Gimpanzee (1:50, $2,259,679). Like Gimpanzee, Iteration is trained by Marcus Melander, and Gimpanzee's co-owner Courant Inc. owns her solely. Iteration possesses a record of 2-1-0 from three trips behind the gate, has pocketed $31,162, and paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.