Vernon: Smalltownthrowdown, Sir Royson victorious in New York Sire Stakes

Vernon Downs hosted a pair of $61,300 New York Sire Stakes races for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Saturday night, and Smalltownthrowdown and Sir Royson went home with the victories.

Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Daley) led at the 27 3/5 opening quarter in the first split, then yielded to favorite Allerage Echo before the 57 3/5 half. Allerage Echo continued on the point to the 1:26 4/5 three-quarters, but Daley brought Smalltownthrowdown back to the outside in the lane, and he was up to win by a length and a quarter in 1:56. A Jersey Contract (Jeff Gregory) took third.

Daley also trains the winner, a colt by Cash Hall, for owners Annmari Daley, Richard Lombardo, James Crawford, and Donald Brenner of Florida, Ohio, and New York. The runner-up in the New York Sire Stakes final last year, Smalltownthrowdown won for the fourth time in his career, and he has now earned $156,302.

In the other division Sweet Royalty (Jeff Gregory) led through fractions of 27 2/5, 58 1/5, and 1:27 2/5 while heavy favorite Dayson (Jim Morrill Jr.) broke stride while beginning a bid out of third past the quarter.

Sweet Royalty was under pressure in the stretch despite the 1:00 middle half, and 20-1 shot Sir Royson (Jim Marohn Jr.), who had been positioned fifth at three-quarters, had the most trot, kicking home up the inside in 27 4/5 to prevail by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:56. Dante (Oskar Florhed) was second after tracking the tempo-setter from the pocket, and Reve Royale (Chris Lems) finished third.

Linda Toscano trains Sir Royson, a Crazed colt, for owner R-And-I Farms of New York. He has won half of his eight starts, and he has banked $53,522.