NYSS victory highlights record-tying day for Beckwith

There were two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for three year old pacing fillies contested as harness racing co-features on a Saturday card in which history was made at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Brett Beckwith, who is well on his way to his first ever driving championship at the Spa, piloted one of the winners of the $84,000 NY Sire Stakes events when he guided Camerican (American Ideal) to victory for trainer Ron Burke. The stakes score behind the sophomore filly was one of eight wins on the card for Beckwith who matched the previous mark of eight for the most for a driver on any card in track history. Frank Coppola Jr, the winningest driver in track history, piloted eight winners on a Sunday afternoon in November of 2008.

CAMERICAN REPLAY

On Saturday, Beckwith made eight trips to the winner’s circle, highlighted by the score in the Sire Stakes race with Camerican. That three year old filly out of the Camluck mare Camille recorded her third victory in six seasonal starts when she stopped the timer in 1:53.2 in her $84,000 stakes race. Her race’s 6-5 second-choice in the wagering, Camerican held off a late challenge from the favored Peace Talks (Wally Hennessey) en route to the score.

The other stakes winner was A Few Choice Words (Courtly Choice-Top Choice Hanover-Western Ideal) who pulled off a mild upset with Jim Marohn Jr in the sulky. Getting a pocket ride behind the heavily favored Tarrific (Wally Hennessey), A Few Choice Words pounced on the leader in the stretch before coming on to prevail at odds of 7-1. Blake Macintosh trains the three year old filly whose win was her fifth in eight seasonal tries but her first in the “big time” Sire Stakes after having dominated in the Excelsior Series.

A FEW CHOICE WORDS REPLAY

Included in Brett Beckwith’s eight wins on the evening were four winners that are trained by Mark Beckwith. Mark’s lead in the trainer standings at the Spa in 2024 is nearly insurmountable and the veteran horseman added four more wins to his tally on the Saturday card that saw his 21 year old son pilot a track record-matching eight winners.

Live racing resumes on Thursday evening with a first post time set for 5pm.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway