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Saturday, July 15, 2017

YONKERS HOSTS SOPH FILLIES IN 170G NYSS ART WATSON PACE

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

YONKERS, NY, Friday, July 14, 2017—Yonkers Raceway Friday night’s (July 14th) hosted the $170,499 New York Sire Stakes Art Watson Pace for the 3-year-old fillies.

The lasses were condensed into a trio of moist $56,833 divisions.

Fresh-Lasix, fooled-very-few Tequila Monday (Brian Sears, $2.50) handily won the first get-together. In play from post position No. 6, last season’s statebred frosh champ and this season’s Lismore champ threw down the fastest gauntlet (:28., 56.4, 1:25, 1:53.4) of the sire stakes evening.

Tequila Monday defeated her pocket shadow, World Apart (Jason Bartlett) by 2¾ lengths, with Carly Girl (George Brennan) third.

For Tequila Monday, a daughter of American Ideal trained by Chris Oakes for co-owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey, it was her fifth win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $5.80, with the triple returning $18.40.

Sears doubled-up his sire stakes pleasure a race later. He and Ann Hill ($25.40) were the beneficiaries when 1-4 choice Obvious Blue Chip (Bartlett) ‘fell down’ on an open, but ultimately too quick (:26.4, :56.4, 1:25.2) lead.

Ann Hill, from No. 4, slid out to race second-over, then rallied through the lane. She defeated Queen Josephine (Matt Kakaley) by a length in 1:55.4, a tick off her life best. Planet Rock (Dan Dube) third. ‘Obvious’ faded to fifth.  

For Ann Hill, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven co-owned by (trainer) Richie Silverman and Neal Oksenberg, it was her second win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $151.50, with the triple returning $2,218

“We purchased her after last season and pointed her for the sire stakes,” Silverman said. “She’s a beautiful filly, not a killer but very handy. I’m lucky to have her.”

Friday night’s statebred finale saw second choice Clear Idea (Mark MacDonald, $5.80) finish what she started (:28, :58, 1:26.2, 1:54.4), winning by a half-length.

From post No. 6, she fought off a prolonged bid of even-money Roaring to Go (Brett Miller) for a fourth consecutive victory. Touchamatic (Brennan) was a wide-off-the-final-turn third.

For Clear Idea, an American Ideal miss co-owned by (trainer) Blake MacIntosh and Hutt Racing, it was her sixth win in a dozen ’17 tries. The exacta paid $12.40, with the triple returning $42.60.

“She’s just been getting better and better with each start,” MacDonald said. “She went a big mile at Vernon (NYSS, 1:52) last month and hasn’t turned in a bad race since.”

New York Sire Stakes continue here Tuesday night (July 18th), with the $160,000 Bruce Hamilton Trot for 2-year-old fillies. 

Friday night’s $55,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace was won by favored Medusa (Kakaley, $5.90) in 1:53.1.