The Empire’s best of the best converged upon Yonkers Raceway on Saturday night (September 24) for the $1.8 million New York Night of Champions.
Eight, $225,000 New York Sire Stakes finals, each sponsored by a prominent breeding farm, feature the best two and three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits in the 27th Night of Champions edition.
The freshmen (and freshwomen) played out as such...
(Winbak Farm Two-Year-Old Filly Pace) - Roaring To Go (catch-driver Jason Bartlett), pocketed and a bit wobbly-gaited late, crossed the line first in 1:55. The wobbles didn’t do her in, but the cutting the cones did.
She was set down to second for leaving the course in the final turn, promoting 6-5 favourite Tequila Monday (Brian Sears, $4.50) to the win. The latter, last after an early, eight-hole break, was relentless, closing from a dozen lengths back at the half to miss a head before eventually being put up.
Robin J (John Campbell) sat and was a best-of-the-rest third.
Winbak Farm Bred - Tequila Monday, a daughter of American Ideal, trained by Chris Oakes for co-owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey, has won four of her five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $12.40, with the triple (three wagering choices) returning $41.
(Majestic View Farms International Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot) – He was the best in the division coming in, and Devious Man (Andy Miller, $3.20) was the best going out. Working his way to the lead just before the half, he finished of his rounds in 1:58. Stick With Me Kid (Sears) chased after yielding, beaten a length-and-three quarters, with Such An Angel (Campbell) a first-up third.
For Winbak Farm-Bred, Devious Man, a son of Credit Winner owned (as part of Stroy Inc.) by trainer Julie Miller, he’s won six of his 10 ’16 tries. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $11.20, with the triple returning $23.40.
“He just zips around these small tracks,” Andy Miller said. “He was getting a little tired around the last turn, but he’s figured out how to win.”
(Allerage Farm Three-Year-Old Filly Trot) – Last season’s division champ Non Stick (Ake Svanstedt, $4.80) defended her title in wire-to-wire, 1:56.4 fashion. Swinging Royalty (Brian Sears) was a pocket second, beaten a length, with 111-1 proposition Straight A Student (Mark MacDonald) closing for third.
Winbak Farm Sired, Non Stick, a daughter of Lucky Chucky trained by her co-owner (with Little E LLC) and driver, has won six of her 10 seasonal starts ($345,907) and 12-for-16 in her career. The exacta paid $42.20, with the triple returning $841.
Fad Finance (Jim Morrill Jr.), as the 3-4 choice, had a brutal trip, trying to leave, only getting a (three-hole) seat when a rival broke and eventually finishing an empty fifth.