Stardust makes a statement in track record equaling performance

GOSHEN — It hasn’t been an easy road back to the sophomore season for Stardust, who was crowned the New York Sire Stakes two-year-old trotting filly champion last year. But the Conway Hall lass put herself back in the spotlight with a track-record equaling 1:59.1 performance in the New York Sire Stakes at Goshen Historic Track on Sunday, July 2. After a relatively easy winter, the filly’s training schedule was disrupted when trainer and driver Gates Brunet didn’t know this spring if he would be able to return to his normal summer base at Vernon Downs from his winter training grounds in Pinehurst, N.C. Then in the first Sire Stakes leg at Buffalo Raceway, the filly inexplicably broke stride and put in a poor performance for catch-driver Stephane Bouchard. Despite the rough start, Brunet was confident before the race that Stardust would perform well. “I knew the owner was here and I wanted to make a statement,” he explained of the mile-cutting victory by a dominating 13 3/4 lengths. “I was a little disappointed to have the two-year-old champion come back like that at Buffalo and I wanted her to prove herself.” And prove herself she did, earning her first win of the year in three starts before a packed grandstand, which including co-owners Ted Gewertz and Claire Chappell. Brunet’s wife, Deborah, who shares in the ownership, joined from the paddock to share in the winner’s circle celebration. Martha and Milton Frank are also partners in the filly. The victory boosted Stardust’s career earnings to $155,852. Deborah Brunet noted that the filly is good in the barn and never gives up on the track. “She’s very nervous, she’s like a thoroughbred,” she cautioned, “but she has got a lot of heart. She never stops trying.” In another filly division Newyorkjoyants scored her second straight New York Sire Stakes win for owner-trainer-driver Steven Reisenweaver. She sat in the pocket behind Seaway Sandra and got out late to win in 2:01.2. Reisenweaver usually breeds and raises his own horses, but he bought this daughter of Credit Winner for just $4,200 at a yearling sale. “I wanted to see how Credit Winner’s (offspring) were, so I wanted to buy a colt but they were selling a little too high. I really liked her so I have two more babies by Credit Winner and I bred one of my mares back to him.” The trainer didn’t race Newyorkjoyants hard as a two-year-old and doesn’t even train her much now, a strategy that works for this filly. “She’s turned out (in a paddock) a lot and I don’t train her too hard,” he explained. “Before her last start in Buffalo she had two weeks off in the field and I trained her in 2:25 on the (half-mile) farm track. She likes being outside and after she’s in the stall for a couple days she just can’t wait to get back out.” PBK Conman scored the fastest division for colts and geldings in 2.1, earning himself a new career mark and his second win of the year. Jeff Gregory directed the son of Conway Hall up the inside of the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length for owner-trainer Mike Sorentino Jr. Electronic Chip scored a 2:03.3 victory for owners Joe and Joann Thomson’s Hutt Racing Stable. Trainer Howard Okusko Jr. was in the bike for the colt’s second win of the year in three starts. Electronic Chip is a son of Giant Hit, a stallion owned by the Thomsons and standing at their Winbak Farm of New York in nearby Walden. Also putting in a strong performance to remain perfect in two New York Sire Stakes events this year was Ackbro Ms Perfect, who won in 2:01.3. She is a Credit Winner, home-bred for brothers Daniel and Steven Ackerknecht. She was trained and driven by Saratoga-based Scott Mongeon. New York Sire Stakes action continued Monday featuring three-year-old pacers. The 10-race program included six divisions for pacing fillies and four for pacing colts. Racing concluded on Tuesday with New York County Fair races.