Bettors Delight is certainly a proud poppa. And why shouldn’t he be, after all, two of his sons each won a division of the $117,000 New York Sires Stakes in 1:52.2 or faster Tuesday afternoon at Monticello Raceway.
For A Bettor Time established a new track record for sophomore pacers with a 1:52 victory for Jimmy Morrill, Jr. and All Bets Off literally made a laugher out of his division when Matt Kakaley drove him to a eased-up nine-length triumph in 1:52.2.
And in a $12,800 Excelsior Series event Murder He Wrote won an Excelsior Stakes in 1:52.2 for Jimmy Morrill, Jr. which was a track record for three-year-old pacing geldings until the following race when the altered (sophomore pacer) For A Bettor Time went two-fifths of a second faster.
In one of the speediest afternoons on record at the Mighty M a third NYSS split went to Stay Up Late, and driver Mark MacDonald in a time of 1:53. In all, four races were timed in 1:53 or faster.
In their NYSS split, For A Bettor Time came from nine lengths off at the three quarters and five lengths behind at the top of the lane to rally to a neck victory over Keystone Honor and Matt Kakaley in his track record 1:52 mile.
The final time was abetted by the speedy early fractions set by Winds Of Change and driver Brett Miller who had his hands full trying to slow down his pacer after starting him up to take command in a :26.3 first quarter.
Deep in the seat and with the reins taught a :54.2 half was the best Miller could do and with a :28.1 third stanza the three-quarters were paced in 1:22.3. In the lane the trailing horses came charging with For A Bettor Time scoring a neck decision in the second fastest mile ever paced at Monticello Raceway. Big Boy Dreams was third for Jason Bartlett.
“They were going so fast up front that I got lost in the pack,” Morrill said with a cat that ate the canary grin on his face. “But we came and got’em at the end.”
Casie Coleman trains For A Bettor Time for the West Wins Stable, Robert Darrow and Ron Broadstone. He paid $15.60 for win.
It was the third victory on the card for Morrill, who also won an Excelsior Series paces with Murder He Wrote and with Believeinthespirit in 1:54.2.
All Bets Off was the featured star of the afternoon, and although it was really no surprise, still he made it an interesting race, or should it be said that Matt Kakaley made their NYSS split interesting. Sent off at odds of five cents on a dollar while coupled with stablemate Forty Five Red in the small five-horse field, All Bets Off just toyed with his competition.
When Jimmy Morrill, Jr. went to lead with Twin B Tenacious from the pole position it forced All Bets Off, who started from post five, to search for room along the pylons on the first turn which he found behind the leader. Kakaley then allowed a parked-out Natural Leda, driven by Larry Stalbaum, to get in front of All Bets Off and when they did Kakaley was out and going and took command before the quarter pole.
They then raced unchallenged through fractions of :27.1, :56, and 1:25 before Kakaley pulled the plugs on the final turn and when he did, it was ‘see ya’ later ‘ as All Bets Off paced away from his company and cruised home an eased-up nine -length winner in 1:52.2.
Twin B Tenacious and Jimmy Morrill, Jr. finished second but they were disqualified for interference on a break, which moved Forty Five Red to second money. Moliere Hanover was moved up to third for Jason Bartlett.