{"id":67938,"date":"2025-09-06T23:19:46","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T03:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=67938"},"modified":"2025-09-06T23:19:46","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T03:19:46","slug":"genesee-county-fragment-shatters-batavia-track-record-bartlett-wins-four-at-night-of-champions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/06\/genesee-county-fragment-shatters-batavia-track-record-bartlett-wins-four-at-night-of-champions\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Fragment shatters Batavia track record, Bartlett wins four at Night of Champions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs Gaming<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Photos courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batavia, NY —\u00a0 Batavia Downs hosted the $2.4 million New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions on Saturday (Sept. 6) night with eight divisions vying for $300,000 each. The competition was solid across the board, but two stars rose above the rest when the dust settled.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Per Engblom\u2019s Fragment turned a lot of heads when he scorched the Batavia oval in 1:52.1 for driver Jason Bartlett and shattered the track record for 2-year-old pacing colts by one and two-fifths second. And it was only one of four wins for Bartlett, who also had one second and one third in his seven NYSS drives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a recap of all the night\u2019s action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2-year-old Colt and Gelding Pace sponsored by the Agriculture & NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Champion – Fragment (Hunstville-The Show Returns) 1:52.1 (Track Record)  – $2.42<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driver – Jason Bartlett<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trainer – Per Engblom<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Owner – Engblom Stable and Douglas Sipple<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breeder – Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm and Michael Robinson and South Mountain Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knoxville (Mark Macdonald) was first to the front as the heavily favored Fragment was content to take the trip. The pace was good with quarters of :27.1 and :56 and the top two horses began to separate heading to three-quarters. Knoxville still had the lead but Fragment pulled and just blew right by, opening up a three length advantage entering the stretch. From there, Bartlett sat chilly as Fragment tugged him to the line on top by 6-3\/4 lengths in 1:52.1, which was also just one-fifth of his lifetime mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s so quick when he gets a trip like that. He\u2019s a real professional off a half like that. I was feeling pretty confident when I saw the half time come up and the other ones were kind of struggling to keep up, it was our race to win. I knew he was fast enough and he did it with plugs in, so we had a little bit left,\u201d said trainer Per Engblom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the sixth win in eight starts this year for Fragment, who has now earned $336,475 this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2-year-old Filly Trot sponsored by Mill Creek Farm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Champion – Sharp Seven (Chapter Seven-Lookin Sharp) 1:58.3 \u2013 $3.34<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driver – Jeff Gregory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trainer – George Ducharme<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Owner – Purple Haze Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breeder – Frederick W. Hertrich III<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overalls (Jordan Stratton) took a quick and commanding lead and motored to the half in front by six lengths in :57.4 as Sharp Seven bided his time in second. As the trotters made their way onto the second circuit, Overalls\u2019 lead began to diminish as Sharp Seven got into gear on the outside and was gaining with every stride. As they passed three-quarters, Sharp Seven took the lead on the outside, cleared in the turn and then held off a fast-closing Jula Hot To Chill (Braxton Boyd) to win by a length in 1:58.3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the fourth NYSS win of the year for Sharp Seven who has now earned $355,250 in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2-year-old Filly Pace sponsored by Purple Haze Stable<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Champion – Liberty Style (American Ideal-Fly In Style) 1:55 – $13.16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driver – Jason Bartlett<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trainer – Andrew Stafford<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Owner – Bonnie Benson and Andrew Stafford<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breeder – Stephen P. Dey III<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liberty Style left from post seven and settled in third while the front-runner, Odds On Enigma (Tim Tetrick), battled the parked-out Odds On Monetary (Matt Kakaley) hard to the half in :57 and three-quarters in 1:26 while Liberty Style was fourth and completely locked in on the pegs. As they raced through turn four, Odds On Monetary tired and as they entered the stretch, Savage Cindy (Tyler Buter) left the pocket for the stretch drive. That left the passing lane wide open for Liberty Style, who shot right through and pulled ahead by 1-\u00be lengths at the light in 1:55.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the third win in a row for Liberty Style, who more than doubled her lifetime earnings with the win, now showing $296,309 on her card. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2-year-old Colt and Gelding Trot sponsored by Genesee Valley Farm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Champion – AI (Chapter Seven-Image Of Bee) 1:57.2 – $5.98<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driver – Yannick Gingras<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trainer – Ron Burke<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Owner – Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breeder – Steve Jones<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Titans Mischief (Matt Kakaley) quickly took the lead while AI dropped into the garden spot for the journey. With the field in single-file fashion, Kakaly grabbed leather on Titans Mischief through quarters of :29.4 and 1:00 to the half, but then stepped on the gas with a :28.3 third panel, with AI glued to his helmet. They trotted around the final turn and when they entered the stretch, Gingras tipped AI and powered his way past Titans Mischief while holding off the fast-closing Chapter Geo J (Jason Bartlett) to win by one-half length in 1:57.2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would have liked to cut it but we were trotting pretty fast going into the turn and Matty had the horse to beat so I had to respect him. I figured if my horse was good I\u2019d have a shot to beat him out of the two hole. Once he was moving there wasn\u2019t really an anxious moment. He felt really good in the post parade today and he gave a great effort,\u201d said his driver Yannick Gingras. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI won his fifth race in only eight starts and pushed his bankroll to $326,416 lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3-year-old Filly Trot sponsored by Allerage Farm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Champion – My Debt Collector (Chapter Seven-Magic Presto) 1:57 – $2.90<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driver – Tyler Buter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trainer – Nifty Norman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Owner – David Mc Duffee, Melvin Hartman and Little E<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breeder – David Mc Duffee, Melvin Hartman, Little E and Herb Liverman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Debt Collector settled in third as Pink Bomb (Scott Zeron) set fast fractions of :28 and :576.2 to the half. Buter tipped My Debt Collector as the race moved towards three-quarters and took the lead on the outside passing that station in 1:27.1. My Debt Collector took the lead into the stretch and trotted home to win by one-half length in 1:57.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was happy to take the trip when Zeron\u2019s horse left, although she\u2019s good on the front too. She\u2019s super to drive and Nifty has done a great job with her and she\u2019s raced well all year,\u201d said driver Tyler Buter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the third win in a row and eighth of the year for My Debt Collector, who raised her earnings to $494,772 this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n