Yonkers, NY --- New York Sire Stakes once again took over Yonkers Raceway, this time with Friday night's $340,239 Armand Palatucci Pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
A trio of consecutive ($113,413) contests were held, with Lawgiver Hanover (Jim Morrill, Jr., $19) beginning the parade in a life-best 1:52.2.
Away third from post position No, 2, he watched as 8-5 fave Major Bombay (Jason Bartlett) -- three-wide early -- led through fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:24.3. Union Man Hanover (Tim Tetrick) was pocketed. Major Bombay, swatting away longshot pressure from Racing Rocky (Brent Holland), owned a 1-1/2 length into the lane.
Lawgiver Hanover waited for room, then went right by, winning by two lengths. Major Bombay saved second, with Union Man Hanover third.
Lawgiver Hanover, a son of Art Major trained by Mark Harder for co-owners Deena Frost, Rick Phillips and W Springtime Racing, is now 2-for-6 this season. The exacta paid $95.50, with the triple returning $247.50.
Forever Just (Tetrick, $7.50) survived an adventurous second-division trip to prevail in a life-best 1:52.4. Four-wide at the outset from post No. 5, he was wrangled back as first Bet On The Law (Morrill), then Gable Blue Chip (Mark MacDonald) found the lead. After a :27.3 opening quarter-mile and :56 half, Forever Just was rushing from fourth.
However, Gable Blue Chip wasn't quite done in and out of the 1:24.1 three-quarters, though he dropped anchor soon after. Forever Just had a 1-1/4 length lead off the final turn, then held off the pylon-skimming Bet On The Law by a head, with Ideal Romance (George Brennan) -- second-up behind the winner -- and Screen The Call (Holland) rounding out the exotic finishers.
Forever Just, a son of Bettor's Delight trained by Linda Toscano for co-owners Fred Wallace and Stake Your Claim Stable, is now 3-for-6 this season. The exacta paid $26.60, the triple returned $111 and the superfecta paid $685.
Defending sire stakes champ Heston Blue Chip (Tetrick, $2.30) surprised few in the final division. After a four-wide-early Coral Snake (Brennan) set sail through early intervals of :27.3 and :57.3, the prohibitive favorite -- leaving from post No. 3 -- went by.
Coral Snake -- who had begun his career with four consecutive wins -- eventually broke in the third turn and Heston Blue Chip found a 1:24.4 three-quarters.
With only Steelhead Hanover (Morrill) in earshot, the leader held him off, winning by two lengths in 1:52.4. Third went to Art Of Temptation (Larry Stalbaum).
Heston Blue Chip, an American Ideal soph trained by Toscano for owner Ken Jacobs, went past a half-million dollars for his now 15-for-17 career (4-for-4 in '12). The exacta paid $5.40, with the triple returning $27.40.
The pair of $44,000 Open Handicaps, for trotters and distaff pacers, were won by Fox Valley Iliad (Stalbaum, $3.70) in 1:55.2 and Lightning Treasure (Dan Dube, $3.60) in 1:52.4, respectively.