YONKERS HOSTS 27^TH NEW YORK NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS (3 YO’S)

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, September 24, 2016—The Empire’s best of the best converged upon Yonkers Raceway Saturday night for the $1.8 million New York Night of Champions.

Eight, $225,000 sire stakes finals, each sponsored by a prominent breeding farm, feature the best 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits in the 27^th NOC edition.

The 3-year-olds are summarily summarized…

(Allerage Farm 3-Year-Old Filly Trot) – Last season’s division champ, Non Stick (Ake Svanstedt, $4.80), defending her title in wire-to-wire, 1:56.4 fashion. Swinging Royalty (Brian Sears) was a pocket second, beaten a length, with 111-1 proposition Straight A Student (Mark MacDonald) closing for third.

Non Stick, a daughter of  Lucky Chucky trained by her co-owner (with Little E LLC) and driver, has won six of her 10 seasonal starts ($345,907) and 12-for-16 in her career. The exacta paid $42.20, with the triple returning $841.

            

Fad Finance (Jim Morrill Jr.), as the 3-4 choice, had a brutal strip, trying to leave, only getting a (three-hole) seat when a rival broke and eventually finishing an empty fifth.

(Cameo Hills Farm 3-Year-Old Filly Pace) – Wishy Washy Girl (Morrill Jr., $6) finished what she started, two lengths better than frosh champ Dime a Dance (Matt Kakaley) in a life-best 1:53.3. American Ivy (Andy Miller) was a loose pocket third.

No Clouds Bluechip (Sears), the 11-10 fave, was a weak first-over and backpedaled to last.

            Wishy Washy Girl, a daughter of Roll with Joe trained by Tracy Brainard for co-owners Steven Demeter and Michael Cimaglio, is now 4-for-14 this season. The exacta paid $24.20, with the triple returning $129.

(Blue Chip Farms, 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace) – Slight favorite Roll Away Joe (Jason Bartlett, $4.90) never had an anxious moment, whipping second choice Bottom Deals (Tim Tetrick) by 2½ lengths in 1:52.3. Craftship (Scott Zeron) picked of the rest for third. Art Rooney Pace winner Missile J (Sears) tried it uncovered, gave way readily and finished last.

Roll Away Joe, a Roll with Joe gelding trained by Brainard for co-owners Demeter, Howard Taylor and Tom Lazzaro, has won six of his 17 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $14.80, with the triple returning $57.

(Morrisville College Equine Institute 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot) – Small-priced Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Daley, $2.80) needed some coaxing, but finished it off in 1:56.1. Dayson (Sears) was a good, two-move, eight-hole second–beaten a length—with Dante (Svanstedt) a pocket third and The Royal Harry (MacDonald) fourth.

For ‘Smalltown,’ a Cash Hall gelding trained by his driver for co-owners Ann-Mari Daley, James Crawford IV, Donald Brenner and Richard Lombardo, it was his seventh win in 15 seasonal starts ($446,263). The exacta paid $13.80, the triple returned $33.20 and the superfecta (four wagering choices in order) paid $110.

“He had issues with a pus pocket the last time he raced (Yonkers),” Dan Daley said. “I know it had to be stinging him a bit, so that’s why I had to keep after him.”

Daley said Smalltownthrowdown would be in the Harrisburg sale. “He’s going to make someone some money, but I have partners and we need the money to buy more babies.”

Saturday night’s pair of $45,000 Open Handicaps were won by..

--Pace, Bit of a Legend N (Jordan Stratton, $4.30) in 1:52.1, and

--Trot, Allerage Star (Andy Miller, $5.60) in 1:54.2.