BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Monday, March 6, 2017—It
wasn’t all ‘death and taxes’ for Yonkers Raceway’s first ‘death and taxes’
proposition of the season.
Vintage Babe (Yannick Gingras, $2.10) did
indeed win her fourth and final, $20,000 division of Monday night’s opening
round of the Petticoat Series, though it was far from attractive.
Leaving from post position No. 2, she
jumped in the first turn, then righted the ship, Vintage Babe made the lead
from Southwind Ion (Joe Bongiorno) right at a :28.4 opening quarter-mile. The
1-20 proposition did complete her appointed rounds (:57.3, 1:26.4, 1:57.2), holding off Southwind Ion by a
half-length. Phyllis Jean (Matt Kakaley), as the 47-1 rank outsider, was third
in the field of six.
“It became more interesting than I wanted,” Gingras said of his minus-pool
miss. “(Vintage Babe) just seemed to get excited in the first turn and outpaced
herself. Fortunately, she caught herself and was able to make the lead.
“It was her first start on a half (-mile track), so we’re going to have to play
around the hopples before next Monday.”
For Vintage Babe, a 4-year-old daughter of Vintage Mater, co-owned by her
driver, her trainer (Ed Gannon Jr.), Frank Canzone and Ronald Sabatini, it was
her fifth win in eight seasonal starts. The exacta paid $6.90, with the triple
returning $49.20.
Monday night’s other Petticoat events went to…
--Real Diva,4 (by Real Desire); co-owners
(as Burke Racing) (trainer) Ron Burke,Weaver Bruscemi,Knox Services/driver
Gingras; 1:56.1/$3.70;
--Cousin Mary,4 (by Camluck); owner Jeffrey Williamson/trainer Andrew
Harris/driver Jordan Stratton; 1:54.1/$3.50;
--Northern Soiree,4 (by Western Ideal); owner Seth Rosenberg Racing/trainer
Scott Blackler/driver Kakaley; 1:56/$9.70.
The Petticoat, along with its male
counterpart Sagamore Hill (beginning Tuesday night, March 7th), are
open to 3- and 4-year-old pacers who are/were non-winners of four races and/or
$40,000 through this past Dec. 1st.
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