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.
