Team Pelling sweeps $168,000 New York Sire Stakes

The harness racing father/son duo of trainer Brett Pelling and driver Jack Pelling teamed up with Earthwindfire (American Ideal) and Southwind Bella (Huntsville) to win both $84,000 New York Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Thursday night (August 3) at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

Earthwindfire, who won the Park MGM Pace at Yonkers earlier this year, left from post five in the first grouping but had to work on the rim for the entire opening turn to get by True Blue Hanover (Jason Bartlett), who gunned out from the pole position. Earthwindfire got to the top prior to the 27.4 opening quarter and then backed down the tempo to 56.1 at the half and 1:25.4 at three-quarters, with True Blue Hanover in close attendance in the two-hole.

Bartlett would move True Blue Hanover off the pylons late on the final bend to take a shot at Earthwindfire, and although True Blue Hanover gained to the wire, she couldn’t get by the pacesetter, falling short by a head in a 1:54.3 mile. Sweet Home (Brian Sears), who broke briefly past the start and then was 12 lengths behind at the half after getting stuck behind a gapping Secret Garden (George Brennan), closed well to collect third.

Pelling trains Earthwindfire, who was bred by Dr. Stephen Dey III, for owners Mel Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tulip Racing. Earthwindfire has a record of 11-4-0 from 17 starts, including a perfect six-for-six mark thus far in 2023, pushed her earnings to $508,400 and paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite. She was atop a $6.20 exacta and an $11.40 trifecta.

EARTHWINDFIRE REPLAY

Southwind Bella won the other section in similar fashion but by a wider margin.

Pelling hit the accelerator with her from the outside post six but again had to press on around the first turn to get by Bartlett and Rock My Socks. Southwind Bella was able to do that before the 27.4 quarter, and from there was unchallenged through a :56 second half and a 1:25.1 three-quarters en route to a 3 1/2 length victory in 1:53.1. Vivians Dream (Sears) was second after going first-over from fourth in the third quarter and Silky Stride (Scott Zeron) advanced from sixth to third in the final panel.

Bred by Southwind Farms, Southwind Bella, who is owned by Thaddeus Wier, has six wins, four seconds, and two thirds from 13 trips behind the gate, has pocketed $153,322 and returned $3.60 to win as the 4/5 favorite. The exacta was worth $6.80 and the trifecta kicked back $25.80.

SOUTHWIND BELLA REPLAY

There were also three $20,000 New York Excelsior “A” Series events held, with the victories going to Rec Time (by Huntsville and bred by Fair Winds Farm, Mark Mullen and Steve Jones) in 1:55.1 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Deborah Daguet and owners D Racing Stable Inc. and Jason Osullivan, High Fashion Star (by Huntsville and bred by owner All Star Racing) in 1:54.3 and Light And Tight (by American Ideal and bred by Concord Stud Farm) in 1:56.1 for driver Jordan Stratton, trainer Nifty Norman and owners Pinske Stables and David Hoese.

The New York Sire Stakes circuit returns to MGM Yonkers Raceway next Thursday night (August 10) with the 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters in action.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently racing Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with post time at 7 p.m. (EDT).

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

From Yonkers Raceway