Bourbon Bay sets all age track record

Bourbon Bay (Sand Vic) set the all age track record for harness racing trotters on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

The four year old has had a breakout season racing mostly in New York State and came to Saratoga for the first time in '15 to compete in the $18,000 Open Trot.

John Cummings Jr. is the trotter's lessee and he sat behind the speedy highstepper on Sunday.

Bourbon Bay moved out to the early lead and set sizzling fractions in lap one to the tune of 27.3 and 55.3.

When the three quarter time popped up in 1:23.2, it seemed more than likely that we would have a new track record.

Bourbon Bay made Spa history by stopping the timer in 1:53, lowering the previous mark of 1:54 set by Scorpion Moon back in 2010 by a full second.

The time is also a world record for a gelding on a half mile track as he dominated in his Spa debut. Bourbon Bay returned $7.20 to win in his track record performance as he bested Just Make Believe (Frank Coppola Jr) who finished second and Jimmer (Austin Siegelman) who earned the show spot.

Bourbon Bay, who won for the sixteenth time of the year, is trained by Jody Riedel.

Live racing resumes on Thursday at Saratoga with a first post time set for 4:00pm.

Mike Sardella