Goshen track records fall, Gregory scores six wins

GOSHEN, N.Y. —Track records fell three times and driver Jeff Gregory scored six wins on the 10-race program on July 5, featuring New York Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacers at the Historic Track. Gregory set a new track record for sophomore fillies with Lislea Bella in 1:55.3, then lowered it later in the card with Cannae Cindy to 1:55.1 — a full second and three-fifths off the previous mark shared by a trio of females. “It was just a lucky day,” said Gregory of his half-dozen wins, including all but one of the six filly divisions. “I had some live mounts today and everything worked out well.” Cannae Cindy’s track record is just one-fifth of a second off the all-time Historic Track pacing mark of 1:55, set by the four-year-old Justin Kin in 1992. The victory was her third straight and boosted her 2006 earnings to $32,601 for owners Glengate Farms and Clay Horner and trainer Ed Lohmeyer. Cannae Farms bred the daughter of Bettor’s Delight. Gregory’s other filly winners were My Girl Lora (1:55.4), Miss Lucky Shamroc (1:57.4) and Love Card (1:58.4). His lone colt winner was with Ruffled Tux (1:56.3). Later on the card, Goshen-based Ray Schnittker directed Your Best Bet to a 1:55.2 new track record for three-year-old males, dropping Missile Mike’s record set in 2000 by one-fifth of a second. “He’s always had a lot of ability and a good gait, but he’s been an underachiever. He’s just gotten over being sick and was much better today than in his last start. The Bettor’s Delight gelding was bred by Steve Jones and has now earned $43,779 this year. Miss Lucky Shamrock proved to be a lucky charm for trainer Kim Burris, earning the long-time conditioner her first New York Sire Stakes victory in 1:57.4. “I’m excited; it could be a good year,” said Burris as she finished bathing the filly in the paddock following the race. She recently sold her farm in Candor, N.Y., and purchased one in Spencer in the Southern Tier of the state, just a few miles from the new raceway Tioga Downs. “I’ve only had her a month and I thought she could be good,” explained the trainer of Miss Lucky Shamroc. “I’ve been tinkering with the shoeing, dropped her head down so she could lengthen her stride and let her hopples out a little.” Burris explained that long-time Sire Stakes fan Bill Van Bramer brought her together with owner John Boll, who was looking for a trainer to take the filly on the Sire Stakes circuit after she was trained down by top county fair horseman Harold Smith. Burris, a woman in a predominantly male profession, is also unique in that she shoes her own horses, something she learned by attending farrier school in Michigan several years ago. “Last night I was putting new shoes on her so she would have enough grip on this track and it was so frustrating,” said Burris. “She likes to kick.” When Burris was just 13 years old, she bought her first Standardbred and trained horses throughout her teens with her father, Alfred Pineault. Later she moved to Hinsdale Raceway in New Hampshire and worked with several successful trainers before returning to the Empire State. As long as Miss Lucky Shamroc comes out of this race well, Burris expects to take her to the Reynolds Stakes at Pocono Downs next and then back to the Sire Stakes and hopefully more big wins. Lislea Bella, who set the filly track record before it was lowered, did so after equaling the track record at her home base at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway the previous week. She was trained by Hall of Famer Harry Harvey before he sent the filly to Saratoga trainer John Stark Jr. for the New York stakes season. “She is still wearing all the equipment Harry sent her with, we haven’t changed anything,” explained second trainer George Karam. “Harry gets all the credit for her right now because he sent her to us completely ready.” Karam was a little surprised by the fast time and said, “Even Jeff [driver Gregory] said he didn’t feel like they were going that fast. She’s a big mare, but she’s pretty handy.” The filly was bred and is owned by Timothy Rooney, whose family owns Yonkers Raceway and who stands the sire, Lislea, at Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill.