Yonkers: Fragment leads triple for sire Huntsville in NYSS finals for pacers

Three-year-old colt Fragment became a two-time New York Sire Stakes champion and stallion Huntsville sired three of the four winners of the $300,000 finals for male and female pacers Saturday (Sept. 12) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

Joining Fragment in earning NYSS pacing crowns were 3-year-old filly Savage Cindy, 2-year-old colt Bastonata Bluechip and 2-year-old filly Huntsvilles Honey.

Fragment won the final for 3-year-old male pacers by 1 1/2 lengths over Hunting Glory in 1:54 2/5. Fearless Partners was third, followed to the finish by Unmatched Wisdom in fourth. Unmatched Wisdom, however, was disqualified and placed sixth for interfering with Cooperstown Boy in the opening quarter-mile. Hard To Forget was elevated from fifth to fourth and Cooperstown Boy from sixth to fifth.

Unmatched Wisdom, who started from post six in the seven-horse field, was sent to the front by driver Leon Bailey, but his attempt to make the top was rebuffed on the first turn by Fragment, who left from post one, and driver Jason Bartlett. Unmatched Wisdom looked to drop into second behind Fragment and was ruled to have interfered with third-place Cooperstown Boy before eventually securing the pocket position.

Fragment reached the opening quarter in 27 1/5 and set all the remaining fractions, hitting the half in 56 seconds and three-quarters in 1:24 while opening up a five-length advantage heading to the stretch. Hunting Glory and Fearless Partners fanned out wide from mid-pack on the final turn to give chase, but Fragment held on for his second NYSS title.

"He got the victory just because he's a good horse, but he's not at all close to being what we think he is," said Bartlett, who drove Fragment for trainer Petter Engblom. "We're going to have to try to figure it out because he's a lot better horse than that. He toughed it out despite not being on his game today.

"I knew going to the half he was really on the bit, and when he's like that, he's not at his best. I knew he was taking a little bit out of himself going to the half, and I was a little worried about that. It kind of showed in the lane. The last quarter was only 30.2; I knew we weren't coming fast. I was just trying to get as much clearance as I could because I felt him getting tired."

Fragment, who in June captured the Grade 2 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes at Yonkers, won for the fifth time in eight races this year and 14th time in 24 career starts. The triumph pushed the colt's lifetime earnings over $1 million, to nearly $1.1 million. The son of Huntsville-The Show Returns is owned by Engblom Farm, Douglas Sipple, and Peaceful Acre Farm. He was bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm, Michael Robinson and South Mountain Stables.

Sent off as the 1-5 favorite, Fragment paid $2.54 to win. The exacta returned $29.64 and the trifecta returned $308.40.

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Bailey came away with a NYSS champion in the final for 3-year-old female pacers, guiding a dominant performance by Savage Cindy in a 1:52 4/5 triumph. Ideal Beauty Queen finished second, eight-lengths back, while Saulsbrook Rolo was third and 2025 champ Liberty Style was fourth.

Savage Cindy, the 7-5 favorite, went straight to the front and never looked back through fractions of 27, 54 4/5 and 1:22, and led by 13 lengths in the stretch.

"I picked her up (two starts ago) and she's just been so good on the front-end. There's no end to her," Bailey said. "I got the front pretty easy today, and when I did, we were taking no prisoners. Surreal Spirit came at me at the half, and it was a tough decision, but I already had (Savage Cindy) rolling and decided to just keep rolling. She does it so easy. She's just an incredible filly and Cory has done a great job with her."

Savage Cindy is trained by Cory Stratton for breeder/owner Scarlett Stables. The daughter of Huntsville-Naughty Cindy won for the third consecutive start and fifth time in 10 races this season. For her career, she has won seven of 17 races and earned $457,052.

She paid $4.80 to win. The exacta returned $45.46 and the trifecta returned $1,737.28.

In the final for 2-year-old female pacers, Huntsvilles Honey swooped the field from sixth place on the final turn to post a 1:55 2/5 victory for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer George Ducharme. Phast Phyllis finished second, 2 3/4 lengths back, and Maxina came home third, just ahead of pace-setting even-money favorite Cowboy Candy.

Cowboy Candy, with Bartlett in the sulky, worked her way to the lead from post eight just prior to reaching the opening quarter in 27 1/5. She remained on top to the 56 2/5 half and 1:25 1/5 three-quarters while fending off first-over pressure from 8-5 second choice Annie O but was unable to maintain her advantage in the stretch. Huntsvilles Honey, who had to return to the paddock for a shoe repair that delayed the start of the race for several minutes, stormed through the lane to complete a 29 2/5 last quarter that was nearly a second faster than any of her competitors.

"The race set up perfect for her, and she got the job done," Kakaley said. "I was really disappointed with her at Saratoga in her last start (finishing third in a race won by Annie O). I talked to George about it because we expected her to be a little better finishing. She gave me the punch that I needed today."

Huntsvilles Honey is owned by breeder Joseph Trice. The daughter of Huntsville-Thats Incredible has won three of seven races this season and earned $212,073.

"I just think the way the pace set up for her, she was able to get a better trip, and (the others) didn't close as hard as they have been," Ducharme said. "We just needed to get a break in the flow of the race, and it worked out in our favor today."

He added about the filly's return to the paddock, "She had a shoe come off, and we had to get it put back on. I didn't know if (the delay) was going to be good or bad for her, but we got through it, so all good."

Sent off at 9-1, Huntsvilles Honey paid $21.54 to win. The exacta with Phast Phyllis (25-1) returned $416.96 and the trifecta with Maxina (23-1) returned $8,753.46.

In the final for 2-year-old male pacers, Bastonata Bluechip took the lead from 1-5 favorite Rose Run Cowboy at three-quarters, then fought through the stretch as Rose Run Cowboy rallied back, to hold on for a nose victory in 1:54 4/5. Free Agent finished a fast-closing third, just a half-length back, and Marie's Jet was fourth.

In a field reduced to five horses by two scratches, Man On A Hunt went to the lead off the gate before Bastonata Bluechip and driver Dexter Dunn moved to the point exiting the first turn. That advantage would be short-lived as Rose Run Cowboy came calling and was a parked-out leader at the quarter, reached in 27 3/5.

From there, Rose Run Cowboy and driver Yannick Gingras remained on top to the 56 3/5 half, but Bastonata Bluechip made his move on the backstretch and was a parked-out leader as they got to three-quarters in 1:25 2/5, setting up the stretch showdown.

"I wasn't worried about mine," winning trainer Travis Alexander said. "Mine was a little green when he made the front. I knew that once (Free Agent) came and he could sense him, he would go again. And that's what he did.

"The colt's been good all summer; it just finally worked out. And having Dex never hurts, he's the best in the game right now. The big thing for us is it's the first crop of American Courage. He only has five babies racing, and one won a sire stakes final."

Bastonata Bluechip is a son of American Courage-Ascending owned by Joe P Racing, Fiddler’s Creek Stables, and Alexander Racing Stable. He was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock.

For the season, Bastonata Bluechip has won two of eight races and earned $235,187. Sent off as the 7-2 second choice, he paid $9.12. The exacta returned $17.66 and the trifecta returned $55.42.

--quotes by Edison Hatter--

--press release (Yonkers)--