YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, September 4, 2012--A trio of favorites, including Yonkers Trot winner, world champion Archangel, did their thing Tuesday night in Yonkers Raceway's $331,270 New York Sire Stakes Dick McGuire Trot for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
The event paid tribute to the long-time New York Knick player and coach, who
also just happened to be an avid horseplayer. Many McGuire family members and
friends were on hand to celebrate the evening.
Archangel (Jim Morrill Jr.), back in Westchester for his first visit since
wiring July's $445,594 Yonkers Trot (all-age-track-record-matching 1:54.1), was
more than good enough over a "good" surface.
Leaving from post position No. 2 in the
$111,090 second division, the 1-20 choice sat the "patientist" of
pockets as Mado Dream (George Brennan) led through intervals of :29.1, 58.4 and
1:27.4.
Mado Dream actually had a couple of lengths to play with turning for home, but
the play date was about to come to abrupt end. Archangel eased out and eased
by, winning by a pair lengths in 1:56.4. Mado Dream held second over A Penny
Earned (Jordan Stratton).
Archangel returned the minimum-allowed-by-law $2.10 for his ninth win in 13
seasonal starts ($681,499). The exacta paid $3.60, with the triple returning
$26.40.
Tuesday's first ($109,090) NYSS division saw Coraggioso (Brian Sears, $2.40)
quarter-move to the lead and never have an anxious moment (:29, :59.1, 1:29.3,
1:58.4). He whipped second-choice Gaelic and Garlic (Morrill Jr.) by 2¾
lengths, with Classic Conway (Stephane Bouchard) third.
Coraggioso, a Conway Hall colt co-owned by (breeders) Joe Spadaro and Tom
Durkin and trained by Gates Brunet, is now 6-for-12 this season. The exacta
(two wagering favorites) paid $4.90, and there was no triple wagering due to
the abbreviated field.
The evening's final ($111,090) sire stakes event was a public workout for
Brookroad Knight (Jeff Gregory). Quickly negating his outside draw, he left
around his five foes, then threw down fractions of :29, 59, 1:28 and 1:57.1.
Slugfest (Ray Schnittker) saved second--beaten 8 1/2 lengths--over New York
Attitude (Fern Paquet Jr.). Second choice Trouble (Andy Miller) was going
nowhere when he made a break.
Brookroad Knight, a homebred CR Excalibur gelding owned by John O'Connor and
trained by Bruce Borden, returned $4 for his fifth win in 10 '12 tries. The
exacta paid $29.40, with the triple returning $160.
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.
