BY FRANK DRUCKER,
Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS,
NY, Saturday, August 27, 2016—Hambletonian winner Marion Marauder (Scott
Zeron, $2.60) made short work of his small-track debut, winning Saturday
night’s lone $40,000 elimination for the 62nd Yonkers Trot.
“Marion,”
starting from post position No. 3 in a Yonkers Raceway game of musical chairs
(nine to eliminate one), took things in his own hooves early. The 3-10 choice
moved past first leader Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Daley), then had few issues (:29.2, :58.4, 1:28.1, 1:56.2).
The margin was a length-and-quarter over
“Smalltown,” with Iron Mine Bucky (George Dennis) a drifting, three-hole third.
The real fun came in the back of the bus, when
the second-tier Gleaming Memory (Ake Svanstedt) made an ugly break that
directly wiped out Lagerfeld (Mark MacDonald), while any number of the trailers
also broke, were impeded or were just plain outrun.
Steed (Brian Sears) was a best-of-the-rest
fourth, with Hititoutofthepark (Corey Callahan), Cuffllink Hanover (Jason
Bartlett), Celebrity Express (John Campbell) and Lagerfeld also earning berth
into next Saturday’s $500,000
final (open draw for second jewel of Trotting Triple Crown is Tuesday morning).
For
Marion Marauder, a 3-year-old son of Muscle Hill trained by Paula Wellwood, who
kept in the family for co-owners Marion Wellwood and Devin Keeling, it was his
seventh win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid
$7.80, with the triple returning $22.60.
“I
couldn’t have been more pleased with the way he trotted the half tonight,”
Zeron said. “I’m confident in his abilities to get the job done in the final.”
"We just
wanted him to get off the gate clean and command a race on a half-mile, Mike
Keeling, husband of the winning trainer, said. "I think he showed
everybody that he can do that. He steered great and he trotted
well."
Saturday’s card also featured a
pair of events for 3-year-old fillies, the $118,574 Hudson Trot and $109,050
Lady Maud Pace (3YO fillies).
