YONKERS, NY, Saturday, October 18,
2014—It was “Elimination Saturday,” with Yonkers Raceway hosting paring events
for three stakes events.
Fifteen 3-year-old colts and geldings
turned into eight for Yonkers Trot No. 60, as standouts Nuncio (John Campbell,
barred from wagering) and Gural Hanover (Jim Morrill Jr., $2.30, part of entry)
were comfy winners in the pair of $40,000 elims.
Nuncio, in play early form post
position No. 5, waited his turn before finally making the lead. He parked
Skates N Plates (George Brennan), then strode home by 3 ½ lengths (:28.4, :58 1:26.4, 1:56.2). Don Dorado (Tim Tetrick), the
wagering “winner ($6.20), was second, with Journey (Dan Dube) and Expressive
Action (Jason Bartlett) third and fourth, respectively.
The wagering
exacta paid $81, with the wagering triple returning $221.
For Kentucky
Futurity champ Nuncio, a millionaire Andover Hall colt trained by Jimmy Takter
for owner Stall Tz, it was his ninth win (third consecutive) in 14 seasonal
starts. Note that he and sixth-place finisher Amped Up Hanover (Matt
Kakaley) raced for purse only, as the latter, co-owned by Takter’s wife,
Christina, were not made a parimutuel entry.
“He didn’t have
to show me anything,” Campbell—eying a third Trot title--said of Nuncio. ‘I
just took my time with him getting the lead, then I let him do it all by
himself.”
New York Sire
Stakes champion, the lone $30,000 supplemental entrant into this season’s Trot,
won the draw in the second elim. He retook from a breaking-soon-after Flyhawk
El Durado (Mark MacDonald) before finishing his four turns (:28.4, 58.1;
1:27.2; 1:56.3)
a length faster than Resolve (Tetrick) in 1:56.3.
Third went to King City (Brennan), with Datsyuk (Charlie Norris) getting the
final place at the table.
For Gural Hanover, a Crazed gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron
Burke, Weaver
Bruscemi, Little E and Panhellenic
Stables, he’s now 10-for-14 this season. The exacta paid $7.10, with the triple
returning $24.40.
The $40,000 musical chairs elim for the 59th Messenger—nine soph
colts/geldings to end up with eight—was won by a pocket-sitting Luck Be Withyou
(Tetrick, $23). From post No. 2, he whipped a cone-skimming Forty Five Red
(Brennan) by a neck (:27.2; :57, 1:25 1:53) with McWicked (Dave Miller) a
belated third.
All Bets Off
(Kakaley), the NYSS champ and strongest third of the 4-5 favored entry, tired
noticeably on the lead despite cheap fractions, winding up fourth. Western
Conquest (Brent Holland), Lyonssomewhere (Brett Miller), National Debt
(Campbell) and Stevensville (Ray Schnittker) completing the qualifying octet,
while Double Your Bet (Jason Bartlett) was outrun.
For fourth
choice ”Luck,” a Western Ideal colt owned by John Craig and trained by Chris
Oakes, it was his fifth win in 13 ’14 tries. The exacta paid $41.40, with the
triple returning $84.50.
“I just wanted
to be able to be in a position to chase (All Bets Off),” Tetrick said.
“He obviously was no goof tonight, and we were able to take advantage.”
“Flat, very
flat,” Kakaley said. “I was cruising at the five-eighths, then in the final
turn, I knew I was in trouble. “I don’t know if he’s sick, but he was not
nearly the same horse tonight.”
Saturday night’s
pair of $20,000 eliminations for the Lady Maud (3-year-old pacing fillies) were
won by Fancy Desire (Brennan, $2.70) in 1:54, and Act Now (Brennan again,
$4.90) in 1:53.1. The other lasses returning for the final are Beautiful Lady,
Tyra, Do Your Job, Scandalicious, A La Notte Hanover and Anagada.
Saturday night’s
$35,000 Open Handicap Pace was won by Pancetta (Kakaley, $7) in 1:52.2
Also Saturday, the Raceway honored
the recently-retired Cat Manzi with a video tribute, a winner’s circle
presentation and a meet-and-greet autograph photo session with fans.
Next Saturday’s (Oct. 25) five
stakes finals…$500,000 Yonkers Trot, $500,000 Messenger Stakes, $250,000
International Trot Preview, $150,854 Lady Maud and $124,590 Hudson Filly Trot
(no elims-only six entered) shall be “open drawn” Tuesday afternoon.
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.
