Vernon: Joviality S blows out her rivals in NYSS romp

Joviality S added to her ever-growing resume with a dominating 1:51 2/5 victory in the second of two $60,300 New York Sire Stakes tests for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Monday afternoon at Vernon Downs. Bare My Soul would capture the other flight.

Driven by Brian Sears from post two, Joviality S was positioned third at the 27 2/5 opening quarter, but Sears brought Joviality S to the outside in the backstretch, and she would brush past Pioneer AS (Tyler Buter) to take the lead past the 56 2/5 half. Once she had control, Joviality S opened up on the others in a 26 2/5 third quarter, then trotted home in 28 3/5 while in-hand to tally by seven lengths over Pioneer AS. Little Pink Lies (Mark MacDonald) came in third.

Marcus Melander trains Joviality S, a daughter of Chapter Seven, for owner Courant Inc. Bred by Courant's AM Bloodstock Inc., Joviality S has a record of 11-2-0 from 14 starts, and she has now earned $953,491. She was the 1-9 favorite and paid $2.10 to win.

Back in the opening grouping, Gettinmystepsin (Andy Miller) fired to the point in a fast 26 1/5 quarter, but Cash Infusion (MacDonald) pressed on two-wide and landed on the top after that marker. Trainer-driver John Stark Jr. then wheeled out first-over from third with Seven On The Rocks going to the 55 3/5 half, and she would duel with Cash Infusion around the final bend and to the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters. Watching that from second-over was Bare My Soul (Buter), and 3-5 favorite Valentina Blu (Andrew McCarthy) was tracking Bare My Soul.

Buter fanned Bare My Soul out three-wide late on the turn, and she would surge into the lead in the upper part of the stretch. Valentina Blu also angled out and had every chance to chase down Bare My Soul, but she was unable to do it, with Bare My Soul holding sway to prevail by a length and three-quarters in 1:52 1/5. Valentina Blu had to settle for second, and Seven On The Rocks wound up third after the first-over grind.

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Bare My Soul, another Chapter Seven filly bred by Kentuckiana Farms, is trained by Linda Toscano for owners Richard Gutnick, Tom Pontone, Joseph Lozito Jr., and Enviro Stables Ltd. Bare My Soul now has two career wins, both of which have been at Vernon Downs, and she has now banked $78,064. The 7-2 second choice, Bare My Soul returned $9.80 to win.