BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS,
NY, Tuesday, June 26, 2012—New York Sire Stakes invade Yonkers Raceway this
week, with events for 3-year-old pacers of both genders.
Thursday night, it's the $335,804 Art Watson for sophomore fillies, going as
the first three races on the dozen-race card.
Defending statebred champ Handsoffmycookie returns here for the first time
since handily winning the $176,484 Lismore earlier this month. The daughter of
Art Major drew post position No. 2 in the final ($113,268) division.
Tim Tetrick retains the duties for owner JFE Enterprises and trainer Scott
DiDomenico. "Cookie" has won 10 of her 15 career starts and more than
$682,000.
Thursday's opening ($111,268) sire stakes event includes Brownsville Bomber
(Jim Morrill Jr., post 5), a statebred winner at Vernon, The second ($111,268)
grouping offers a matchup between sire stakes winners New York Kitty (George
Brennan, post 2) , JK Fine Art (Morrill Jr., post 4) and Romantic Moment
(Yannick Gingras, post 5).
Friday night features the $340,239 Armand Palatucci for second-season colts and
geldings. It's carded as races 9 through 11 (at $113,413 each) on what is also
a 12-race program.
The last of those events is led by defending NYSS champ Heston Blue Chip
(Tetrick, post 3). The son of American Ideal, trained by Linda Toscano
for owner Ken Jacobs, is a perfect 3-for-3 this season after 11 wins (and two
seconds) in 13 frosh tries. He goes past $500,000 in career earnings with a
victory here.
Coral Snake (Brennan, post 6), unraced at 2, had made it for lost time with
four wins in as many tries, while Steelhead Hanover (Morrill Jr., post 2) has
hit the board in 16-of-18 career tries.
The opening sire stakes event includes Breakin’ the Law (Jason Bartlett, post
6), a NYSS winner here last month, while the second division has Forever Just
(Tetrick, post 5), also local sire stakes winner that very evening.
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.
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