BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Tuesday, July 29, 2014—New York Sire Stakes continued downstate Tuesday night,
with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $201,600 Mike Cohen Trot for 2-year-old
fillies. The quintet of races honored the memory of the former Yonkers and NBC
Sports publicity director, with his family and friends making winner’s circle
presentations.
The opening
($39,900) event saw a down-the-road Pig Hunt (George Brennan, $9.80), from post
position No. 5, break the tape in a spiffy 1:59.4 (:30.2, 1:01.2 and 1:30.1). The effort matched her
previous season’s-best.
Frou Frou (Brett Miller), as the 7-10 favorite, lost her tow
when Icy Sprite (Jason Bartlett) broke, then could not get near the winner. The
final margin was a length, with Praying Gear (Jeff Gregory) third.
For third choice Pig Hunt, a daughter of Conway Hall co-owned
by (trainer) Janice and Jennifer Connor, it was her second win in four
first-season starts. The exacta paid $20.20, with the triple returning $53.50.
“She shows trotting every start, so I wasn’t worried about
her,” Brennan said. “I was able to back down the half and control the race.”
Tuesday night’s second ($40,900) sire stakes event was a
successful debut for Shaqline (Jimmy Takter, $6.20). In play early from post
No. 2, she found a :30.1 opening quarter-mil. Then, Concentration (Chris Lems)
grabbed the baton (1:01.2, 1:30.2), 17-10 choice Barn Girl (Gregory) trotting
in place first-up.
Concentration owned a length-and-a-half lead into the lane,
but Shaqline took to the passing lane like a veteran. She ducked in and went
by, the final margin a length-and-a-quarter in 2:00.1. Cherry Crown Jewel
(Dan Daley) was third, with Barn Girl winding up fourth.
For second choice Shaqline, a Credit Winner trained by
Takter for Brixton Medical Ab, her sire stakes debut came after just one baby
race. The exacta paid $39, the triple returned $104 and the superfecta paid
$439.
“She’s bred to be very good,” Takter said of the full-sister
to $400,000-plus winner Shaq is Back. “She had breathing issues and three
surgeries. Fortunately, she had some good doctors.”
The third ($39,900) Cohen division saw Summer Scent (Daley,
$17.40)—from post No. 4--sit behind 2-1 choice Kaliska (Ray Schnittker) through
fractions of :28.3, :59 and 1:29.2. Summer Scent then made her way past,
winning by a half-length in a maiden-breaking 2:00.3. Third went to Duolectra
(Corey Callahan).
For fourth choice Summer Scent, a Malabar Man miss trained by
Daley for co-owners Ann-Mari Daley and Jlrl LLC, it was that first win in five
’14 tries,. The exacta paid $16.20, with the triple returning $556.
“She keeps at it,” Dan Daley said. “She doesn’t always want to
pass another horse, but she drew better tonight and that
helped.”
The fourth ($40,600) sire stakes event was won by an in-form,
9-10 fave Barn Doll (Gregory, $3.80). Unhurried from post No. 2, she watched as
Summers Windsong (Schnittker) and Nunkeri (Callahan) took turns through
fractions of :29, :59.4 and 1:30.1.
Barn Doll methodically made her move, first-up from fourth
before collaring the leader early in the lane. She then edged away to beat
Nunkeri by a length-and-a-half in 1:59.1…night’s fastest and matching her
previous life-best. Summers Windsong was third.
For Barn Doll, a Conway Hall lass co-owned by (trainer) Steve
& Nancy Pratt and Purple Haze Stables, it was her fourth (consecutive) win
in five seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $14, with the
triple returning $47.80.
“She’s a smart filly,” Gregory said. “She’s able to relax and
that’s going to help her as she moves along. Tonight, when we moved, there was
no one in front of her, but can just as easily chase another.”
The evening’s statebred schedule ended in the fifth ($40,600)
grouping, where slight choice Stirling Debutant (Ron Pierce, $6.80) showed good
speed on both ends of a first-win 2:01.2 effort.
Leaving from post No. 5, “Debutant” wound up sitting behind
Northern Obsession (Schnittker) and that one’s weight stations of :30, 1:01.3
and 1:31.2. When Zanna Blu (Gates Brunet) attacked the leader with a bold
second move, Stirling Debutant extricated herself from the cones and angled
out.
She then whipped a stubborn Zanna Blu by three-quarters of
length. Third went to Meshugana Miss (Jordan Stratton), with Stories to Tell
(Lems) fifth-placed-fourth.
For Stirling Debutant, a daughter of Credit Winner co-owner
by (trainer) Rick Zeron, Cool Cat Racing and James Walker, she’s now 1-for-4
this season. The exacta paid $51.50, the triple returned $529 and the
superfecta paid $9,871.
“I spoke to Rick (Zeron) a couple of days ago, and he said if
I just gave her a chance, she’d be alright,” Pierce said. “I made the (final
turn) decision to take her outside, because with some of these 2-year-olds get
a bit skittish when you duck them inside. “
New York Sire Stakes continue Thursday
night, with $200,900 New York Sire Stakes Jim Meagher Pace (2-year-old
colts/geldings).
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 daily.
