BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, June 14,
2013--Yonkers Raceway returned from hiatus Friday night, with the statebreds
making their downstate seasonal debut.
The $351,656 New York Sire Stakes Hugh
Grant Pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings was drawn and quartered.
The third ($88,314) division saw 35-1
Sheppard Pace winner Hail the Taxi (John Campbell) from a season ago returning
to the scene of that night. This night, as the 3-10 favorite, he tried to flee
the scene (:28.3, :58.2, 1:27.1), only to picked off late by a second-over
Swift As a Shadow (George Brennan).
The homebred (Winbak Farms) son of
Bettor's Delight, starting outside his six rivals, won by a neck in a
parimutuel-best 1:55.2. Major Bucks (Brian Sears) was third.
It was the first board finish in three
seasonal starts for Swift As a Shadow. The third choice returned $13.20. The
exacta paid $34.60, with the triple returning $75.
The final ($88,314) get-together saw Art
Rooney Pace winner Doctor Butch (Jim Morrill Jr.) unable to close the sale
here. After intervals of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:25--and with only token, first-up
pressure, "Butch" tired noticeably in the lane. It was Sir Cary's Z
Tam (Pat Lachance), perched in the pocket from post position No. 2, going on
by.
He defeated a fast-closing Bettor Than You
(Sears) by a length in 1:52.2, with Doctor Butch fading to third, beaten a
length-and-three-quarters.
For second-choice Sir Cary's Z Tam, a
Bettor's Delight colt (third in the Rooney) co-owned by his trainer/driver, Ira
Rosenblum and M&M Harness Racing. he returned $6.60 ($17.60 to place) for
his second in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $44, with the triple
returning $69. Of the $16,923 in the place pool, $14,874 was bet on
"Butch" (Better Than You, a 10-1 win proposition, paid $33.80 to
place).
The evening’s other sire stakes events,
worth $86,714 and $88,314, respectively, were won by...
--Cautions Signs (by Dream Away);
co-owners (trainer) Paul Jessop,Our Three Sons Stable,Donato
Falcicchio/driver Brent Holland; 1:56.2/$56;
--Bet the Moon (by Bettor's Delight);
owner Edwin Gold/trainer Ron Burke/driver Brennan; 1:55/$4.40.
Friday night's pair of $46,000 Open
Handicaps, for trotters and distaff pacers, were won by eight-holers Monsignor
Flan (Holland, $8.50) in 1:55.3 and Krispy Apple (Sears, $3.40) in 1:52.4.
After Saturday's program, the Raceway's
five-night-per-week schedule resumes next week, 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.
