BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, April 23, 2016—The
song remains the same for Maestro Blue Chip.
Tuesday afternoon was the ninth victory in
as many seasonal starts for the prohibitive ($2.50) favorite, easily winning
the $73,500 final of Yonkers Raceway/Standardbred Owners Association of New
York Bonus Trotting Series.
The series was open to 3-year-olds and
their elders who were non-winners of six parimutuel races and/or $100,000
through this past Feb. 1 (winners over $150,000 through that date ineligible).
In play early from post position No. 6,
“Maestro” (Tim Tetrick) had to work around first leader Summers Windsong (Jason
Bartlett) before taking over. Lakota (George Brennan) was away third from the
pole.
Once pointed toward the point, there
wasn’t a whole lot of suspense. Maestro Blue Chip did his thing (:28.3, :57.4,
1:27.1, 1:56), dismissing a weak, first-up challenge from Newcastle (Brett
Miller). “Maestro” owned and length-and-a-three-quarter lead entering the lane,
before closing the sale by a length-and-a-quarter.
He had won his three series legs by nearly
15 combined lengths.
Summers Windsong was a solid second in a
very good effort, with Lakota a three-hole third. Newcastle did hold fourth,
while Tuscanellie (Dan Dube) recovered from an early misbehave to grab the
final pay envelope. Jackie Goldstein (Vinny Ginsberg), Stormont Park (Jordan
Stratton) and breaking-early A List Lindy (Matt Kakaley) rounded out the order.
Maestro Blue Chip is a 4-year-old son of
Credit Winner owned Richard Poillucci trained by JoAnn Looney-King. The exacta
paid $41.60, with the triple returning $82.
The $36,750 winner’s share upped the
seasonal earnings to an even $105,000, not including the $10,000 bonus from the
SOA of NY.
“He’s just so versatile,” Tetrick said. “I
don’t think we know where his bottom is since he hasn’t race that much (22
career starts). He can get over any size track and I know they’re very high on
him. He has some tougher stakes later in the season, so we’re going to find
out.”
A $30,000 series consolation was won by a
down-the-road Covert Operative (Brian Sears, $5.40) in 1:56.4.
