BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, August 25, 2017—The
U-S Open is right around the corner and nearly right down the road. In that
spirit, form held serve Friday night (Aug. 25th), with Yonkers
Raceway hosting the $159,000 New York Sire Stakes Jim Meagher Pace for
2-year-old colts and geldings.
Three divisions—at $53,000 each—and nary
one bit of suspense among ‘em.
Hitman Hill (Brett Miller, $2.20) won the
second sire stakes grouping in a night’s-fastest 1:54.2. Winning the draw, he
retook from longshot My Delight (Jason Bartlett), then continued on his pleased
(:28, 57.1, 1:25.2, 1:53.2).
‘Hitman’
opened a couple of lengths turning for home before prevailing by a comfy
length-and-a-quarter. My Delight chased around the oval and saved second, with
Jersey Jim (Jim Devaux) skimming the cones from last to grab third.
For Hitman Hill, an American Ideal gelding
co-owned by Tom Hill & North Fork Racing and trained by Chris Oakes, he’s
won all three of his career tries. The exacta paid $18.20, with the triple
returning $88.50.
“He’s one of the
nicest colts I’ve ever sat behind,” Miller said.
Friday’s opening statebred event had
Paprike Blue Chip (Corey Callahan, $3.90)—the only entrant in the field with a
sire stakes win this season—get another (:27.4, 57.1, 1:26.3, life-best-matching 1:54.2)
From post position No. 5, he made the
lead, put away a first-up Rolling Sea (Brian Sears), then easily held off
second-choice Aces in Heaven (George Brennan).
The final margin was 2¾ lengths, with
Rootin’ Tootin’ (Mark MacDonald) a best-of-the-rest third.
For ‘Paprike,’ a Roll with Joe gelding,
trained by John Butenschoen for co-owners Harmony Oaks & Crawford Racing
and VIP Internet Stable, it was his third win in seven ’17 tries. The exacta
paid $6.70, with the triple (three wagering choices in order) returning $14.20.
The final Meagher subsection found Casual
Cool (Bartlett, $2.50) with few impediments en route to a fourth NYSS win. From
post No. 2, he moved past Topville Olympian (Jim Morrill Jr.), then moved away
(:28.1, :58.1, 1:26.4, 1:55).
Casual Cool defeated a two-move effort by
Keystone Tenacious (MacDonald) by 2½ lengths, with 105-1 Major Offense (Scott
Zeron) picking off the bottom of the ticket.
For Casual Cool, an American Ideal
colt owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by Linda Toscano, he’s now 4-for-5 this
season. The exacta paid $18.60, with the triple returning $301.50.
“He doesn’t seem to care what size track
he’s at and he can race either on or off the pace,” Bartlett said. “Just a
handy horse.”
The evening’s sire stakes honoring the
memory of the Raceway’s long-time corporate controller.
Friday night’s $50,000 Filly and Mare Open
Handicap Pace was also formful, as in Newborn Sassy (Jordan Stratton, $3.40) in
1:53.2.
Saturday evening’s (Aug.26th)
program features three, $40,000 stakes eliminations, two of the 63rd
Yonkers Trot and one of the 62nd Messenger Stakes.
