Freshmen Trotters Star In NYSS Action
Yonkers Raceway, a.k.a. Statebreds R Us, offered the $253,897 New York Sire Stakes Milt Taylor Trot for two-year-old colts and geldings Friday night.
Rain, including some heavy downpours, greeted the plebes for most of the five divisions on the wagering card.
The first $36,671 betting event was a handy, down-the-road win by odds-on A Penny Earned (Jeff Gregory, $2.30) in 2:00.3. The son of Conway Hall, co-owned by trainer George Ducharme, Paul Fontaine, Alfred Ross and Nicola Oliva, is now three-for-three to begin his career. Lindy McDreamy (Ray Schnittker) was second, beaten three and three-quarter lengths, with Credicity (George Brennan) third.
My Man Dudley (Schnittker, $2.60 as part of the favoured entry) was a wire-to-wire winner in the second $36,671 wagering sire stakes group. The Malabar Man colt, defeated Conwaytour (Jordan Stratton) by two and a quarter lengths, with Turbulent Flight (Cat Manzi) third. Schnittker trains and co-owns “Dudley” with Jeff Gural, along with Mal and Janet Burroughs.
The evening's third $35,971 wagering Taylor division went to the 11-1 Vintage Cash (Brandon Simpson, $24.80), who closed on the outside to nip Archangel (Brennan) by a neck in 2:03. Credit N Debit (Gregory) faded to third as the 13-10 favourite. The winner is a Cash Hall gelding owned and trained by Jody Weidman.
The fourth $36,671 on-the-card NYSS event was a wire job by 1-2 choice Flyhawk Jester (Dan Daley, $3). He easily defeated War Cry Hall (Jim Pantaleano) by three and a quarter lengths, with Mado Dream (Brennan) third. "Jester," a son of RC Royalty with three win in four tries, is trained by Daley for co-owners Albert and Michelle Crawford, Ann-Mari Daley and Richard Lombardo.
Friday's final sire stakes event proved you can't beat the taxman...or, in this case, Taxman (Brad Kramer, $8.20). The son of Conway Hall parlayed a perfect, second-over trip into a maiden-breaking, 2:01.4 victory. Coraggioso (Gregory) raced well first-up, but was beaten a length and a quarter. Costner Blue Chip (Schnittker) was third. Taxman is co-owned by Kramer, Richard Siedel, Scott MacArthur and ECS Racing, and trained by Rob Harmon.
The pair of $35,971 NYSS non-betting events, held while Mother Nature was in a better mood, were won by Credit Winner colt Delano in 2:00 for co-owners (trainer-driver) Schnittker, Tom Vassiliou, Nick Tallarico and Gareth Dowse, and the Steve Smith-driven Southwind Austin, a son of Conway Hall trained by Julie Miller for the Andy Miller Stable, in a life-best of 2:02.1.
New York Sire Stakes continue next Monday with $236,019 Bruce Hamilton Pace (three-year-old colts/geldings), Tuesday with the $226,510 Scarsdale Trot (three-year-old fillies) and Thursday with the $255,913 Joe Goldstein Trot (two-year-old fillies).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)