BY FRANK DRUCKER,
Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS,
NY, Tuesday, August 30, 2016—Tuesday afternoon’s gods of the open draw did not
torture either prohibitive favorite for Yonkers Raceway’s pair of Saturday
night half-million-dollar Triple Crown events.
Hambletonian
winner Marion Marauder drew post position No. 4 for Yonkers Trot No. 62 and
Hempt Memorial/Adios champ Racing Hill landed the three-hole for the 61st Messenger
Stakes.
The
Trot goes as the eighth race on the Raceway’s 13-race card (approximate post
time 9:35 PM), with the Messenger directly after (approx. post 9:55 PM). First
post is the usual 7:10 PM.
The
draw for Yonkers Trot No. 62…1-Iron Mine Bucky (George Dennis), 2-Celebrity
Express (John Campbell), 3-Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Daley), 4-Marion Marauder
(Scott Zeron), 5-Lagerfeld (Mark MacDonald), 6-Steed (Brian Sears),
7-Hititoutofthepark (Corey Callahan), 8-Cufflink Hanover (Jason Bartlett).
The
draw for Messenger Stakes No. 61…1-Stonebridge Beach (Pat Lachance),
2-Don’tcallmefrancis (Joe Bongiorno), 3-Racing Hill (Brett Miller), 4-Western
Fame (MacDonald), 5-Fernando Hanover (George Brennan), 6-Another Daily Copy
(Callahan), 7- Dr. J Hanover (Zeron), 8-Manny (Chris Lems).
Note
that both Tony Alagna-trained horses (Racing Hill and Dr. J Hanover) and
both Ron Burke-trained horses (Don’tcallmefrancis and Fernando Hanover) shall
race uncoupled, as per updated New York State Gaming Commission rules.
Program changes, if any, shall be made Wednesday morning.
In
the Trot, the road to the big coin obviously goes through Marion Marauder, who
was the handiest of winners in last week’s lone, $40,000 elimination.
“He’s
just developed into the perfect horse to drive,” Zeron said. “I raced him from
off the pace both times in the Hambletonian, but he had no problem leaving the
gate last week.
“I
was very impressed with him in his first small-track start. The may the draw
played, with me right next to Dan (Daley, Smalltownthrowdown), I can sort of
assess everything at the start.
“This
is my first drive in this race, and I’d love to win it.”
For
the season, Marion Marauder, a 3-year-old son of Muscle Hill, has won seven of
his nine starts ($874,905). Paula Wellwood trains for mom, Marion, and son,
Devin Keeling.
As
for Racing Hill, his trainer nearly had to go for the antacid pills during the
post-position pills.
“I
watched it on-line,” Alagna said, “and there were two horses and two numbers (3
and 8) left. I was envisioning having my two horses getting the 7- and
8-holes, but it worked out.”
Try
convincing the Manny folks of that.
Racing
Hill “trained great on the half at Gaitway and couldn’t be coming into this
race any better.” The Tom Hill-owned homebred son of Roll with Joe has been
board-perfect (10 starts, 4 wins, 5 seconds, 1 thirds) this season ($961,702).
No
eliminations were needed to this race, as only eight entered.
Alagna
co-owned and trained Revenge Shark, last season’s winner.
