YONKERS,
NY, Thursday, June 28, 2012—New York Sire Stakes invaded Yonkers Raceway
Thursday night, with the $335,804 Art Watson Pace for 3-year-old fillies..
Centralia Hanover (Yannick Gingras) served up a 22-1 upset in the opening
($111,268) event. Leaving from post position No. 6, she wound up pocketed to
just-over-ever-money Brownsville Bomber (Jim Morrill Jr.)\, who retook soon
after a :27.2 quarter-mile.
A 57-second half and a prompted (by Zellweger Hanover [George Brennan]) 1:25
three-quarters left "Brownsville" with a length-and-a-quarter lead
turning for home. However, that one could not stave off the winner, who ducked
inside and edged away by a length-and-a-half in a life-best 1:53.3. The bottom
of the ticket went to Vanity Fairest (Pat Lachance).
For "Centralia," a daughter of Art Major trained by Mark Harder
for co-owners W Springtime Racing and Rick Phillips, she returned $46 (fifth
choice among the half-dozen) for her first win in six seasonal starts. The
exacta paid $79, with the triple returning $560.
The second ($111,268) grouping saw Gingras sweep the $73 early sire stakes
double with prohibitive fave Romantic Moment in 1:52.4.
In play early from post position No. 5, Romantic Moment worked around JK Fine
Art (Morrill Jr.), then easily held sway through intervals of :28.1, :57.3,
1:25.4 and 1:52.4. She defeated JK Fine Art by 2 3/4 lengths, with New York
Kitty (Brennan) third.
For Romantic Moment, an American Ideal lass owned by Brittany Farms and trained
by Hall-of-Famer-in-a-few-days Jimmy Takter, she returned $2.20 for her third
win in five '12 tries. The exacta paid $4.90, with the triple (three wagering
choices in order) returning $10.20.
"She's for real," Gingras said of Romantic Moment. "Last start
(second to American Jewel in the final of Mohawk's Fan Hanover) was the first
time I drove her, and she was grabby, but raced very well. Tonight, she was
very relaxed, and no problem."
Defending statebred champ Handsoffmycookie (Tim Tetrick, $2.60), back here for
the first time since handily winning the $176,484 Lismore earlier this month,
made short work of the third and final ($113,268) division.
Leaving from post No. 2, she yielded to Eightunrdolarbill (Brennan) before
grabbing the right at the :28.1 opening quarter. From there, a 57-secod half,
1:26 three-quarters and 1:53.2 finale. Eightunrdolarbill chased to the
wire, beaten a measured half-length, with Ramalama (Eric Goodell) third and
Ryder Blue Chip (Jason Bartlett) fourth
"For "Cookie," a daughter of Art Major owned by JFE Enterprises
and trained by Scott DiDomenico, it was her second win in four seasonal starts.
The exacta paid $4.10, the triple returned $15.60 and the superfecta paid
$57.50. She has now won 11 of her 16 career starts (5-for-5 here) with earnings
just shy of $740,000.
“She loves this track,” DiDomenico said. “I’ve never been around a horse like
her with a determination to win. She’s eligible to the Mistletoe Shalee, but
I’m going to speak with the owners and we may just keep her in sire stakes.”
New York Sire Stakes continue here Friday night, with the $340,239 Armand
Palatucci for 3-year-old colts and geldings. It's carded as races 9 through 11
(at $113,413 each) on the 12-race program.
The Raceway continues its normal five-night-per-week live schedule, with first
post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening
simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available around the NYRA schedule.
