BY FRANK DRUCKER,
Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, May 29, 2015—With
three-peating Krispy Apple not in attendance Friday night, it took two lasses
to fill her horseshoes.
Alhambra (Brian Sears, $3.30) caught It’s
a Miracle (Eric Carlson, $2.90) at the wire, dead-heating in Yonkers Raceway’s
$42,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
It’s a Miracle, leaving from post position
No. 5, wound up pocketed to Virgin Mary (Jordan Stratton) through fractions of
:27.4, :57.1 and 1:25.4. Meanwhile, pole-assigned Alhambra was tardy both
leaving the gate, then catching her ride in the presence of Magic Starlight
(George Brennan).
She did, however, close ranks in time to
move widest and fastest, drawing even with a passing-lane It’s Miracle in
1:53.4…a life-best effort for Alhambra. Virgin Mary, who owned length
lead into the lane, faded to third, beaten a length-and-quarters. Magic
Starlight and Sir Jillian Z Tam (Pat Lachance) completed cashers in a compact
grouping, where the eight ladies finished the course separated by less than
four lengths
Sharing the salutations were second choice Alhambra, a 5-year-old daughter of
Art Major owned by Joshua Schwartz and trained by William Adamczyk, now
5-for-18 this season.
For 17-10 fave It’s a Miracle, a
5-year-old Always a Virgin miss trained by Jose Godinez for co-owners
Blindswitch Racing, Santo Farina, David Sebolsky and Stanley Yoskowitz, it was
her fifth win in 20 ’15 tries.
The exactas paid $17.60 (Alhambra first)
and $13.40 (It’s a Miracle first), with the triples returning $63 (Alhambra
first) and $36.80 (“Miracle” first).
The Raceway’s live season continues
Saturday night (post time 7:10 PM, $300,000 final of Art Rooney Pace and
$117,724 Lismore). After that, it’s Monday (7:10 PM) and a French-centric
Tuesday (1 PM) before hiatus.
