BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
The event, in three, $119,619 divisions, honored the memory of Yonkers'
long-time, award-winning track photographer. Cipriani's son, Ralph, and his
family were on hand to make the presentations.
First-up from inside draw was the MO in the first two divisions, as performed
by Alphadoodle (Brian Sears, $4.60) and Lola De Vie (Jim Morrill Jr., $2.40),
respectively.
Alphadoodle held off the lass on her back, Lady Rivera (Morrill Jr.) by a neck in 1:57.4. Barn Babe (John Cumming Jr.), done no favors by an eight-hole was third as the tepid 13-10 (same as Alphadoodle) favorite.
For Alphadoodle, a daughter of Credit Winner co-owned by (trainer) Rick Zeron,
Rojan Stables, James Walker and Huff Racing, it was her second win in
five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $15.60, the triple returned $69.50 and
the superfecta (52-1 rank outsider American Express [Mark MacDonald] was
fourth) returned $556.
Lola De Vie dispensed with longshot leader See at Office (Trond Smedshammer) early in the lane, then went on to whip Bouncing Bax (Jason Bartlett) by a length-and-a-half in 1:58.3. Third went to Royal Malinda (Dan Daley).
For "Lola," a Credit winner homebred miss owned by Joie De Vie Farm,
it was her sixth win (fourth consecutive, including the $237.600 final of the
Empire Breeders Classic) in eight seasonal efforts. The exacta paid $10.80,
with the triple returning $70.50.
The evening's final sire stakes event saw half of the eight ladies--including
1-2 favorite Long Island Tea (Morrill Jr.)--self-destruct like a Mission:
Impossible tape.
That left 14-1 Wygant Lady (Cat Manzi, $31.20) on a lonely lead from post position No. 6, and she closed the sale. Wygant Lady defeated a loose-pocket Promising April (Smedshammer) by a length in a life best-matching 1:56.1. Louise Kemp (George Brennan) was third.
For fifth choice Wygant Lady, another Credit Winner lass--this one co-owned by
her trainer (Taylor Gower) and her breeder (Alan Stull)--she's now 6-for-12
this season. The exacta paid $65, the triple returned $438 and the superfecta
(Long Island Tea trotting late for the bottom of this wager) paid $875.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, 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.
