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Sunday, May 28, 2017

TEQUILA MONDAY WINS $140,770 LISMORE

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

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, May 27, 2017—Agent Q (Dave Miller) made a winning move. Unfortunately for her, Tequila Monday (Brian Sears, $10.60) made a ‘winning-er’ one.

The latter stalked and subdued the former Saturday night (May 27th), easily winning Yonkers Raceway’s $140,770 Lismore for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

            It was Big City Betty (Jim Marohn Jr.)—along with Agent Q an elimination winner a week ago—offering up some wild early speed, as in a 27-second opening quarter.  Pole-sitting Warrawee Sunshine (Tim Tetrick) broke and left the course, while Caviart Cherie (Jason Bartlett) was away second, ahead of 1-4 choice, Agent Q.

            Tequila Monday, a rallying second to ‘Q’ a week ago, started from post position No. 7 here and found a comfy four-hole which ended up serving her very well.

Big City Betty did a better rating job, getting a :56.2 intermission. It mattered not, as Agent Q swallowed her whole down the backside the second time.

However, once ‘Q’ moved, Tequila Monday moved right with her…and as completely as Agent Q inhaled ‘Betty,’ Tequila Monday scarfed down Agent Q.

Last season’s New York Sire Stakes frosh champ, Tequila Monday saw a length-and-three-quarter lead in and out of the final turn widen to 4¾ lengths at the (1:52.2) wire. The time in the 13th Lismore was a life-best and just a tick off Tyra’s (Tim Tetrick, 2014) stakes record.

Agent Q did save second, with Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy) third. Caviart Cherie and Gotthisone Hanover (George Brennan) grabbed the minor moolah, with Ashlee’s Spitfire (Dan Dube), Big City Betty and Warrawee Sunshine rounding out the order.

For second choice Tequila Monday, a daughter of American Ideal, trained by Chris Oakes for co-owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey, it was her first win in three seasonal start (career five wins three seconds in eight starts). The exacta paid $25.80. with the triple returning $107.50.

"She's got a lot of ability and just needs some ironing out," Sears said. "Sometimes, she gets steppy. She made a break in the final (of New York Sire Stakes) and was able to overcome it. With a shoeing change, she was real solid (tonight)."


Saturday night’s $55,000 Open Handicap Pace was won by a repeating Mach it So (Brent Holland, $4.40) in a snappy 1:51.3.