STRATTON AND PAIR OF 10-YEAR-OLDS SWEEP SATURDAY NIGHT 44G CO-FEATURES

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

                                                                                                 

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, February 23, 2019—Jordan Stratton was seen in the presence of some pretty haughty company Saturday night (Feb. 23^rd), taking both halves of Yonkers Raceway’s $44,000 co-features with favored millionaire (Melady’s Monet, $4.70) and favored double-millionaire (Bit of a Legend N, $3.80).

            The weekly marquee trot—handicapped--was not a fair fight, with Melady’s Monet moving first-up early and striding out late. Away fifth from post position No. 5 (in one notch after a defection), ‘Melady’ was out and moving in the second turn to go after Fearless Man (Jason Bartlett).

The one led through quickie early intervals of :27.1 and :56.4, but was heading the wrong way by the 1:26.1 three-quarters. Melady’s Monet took over soon thereafter, opening 2½ lengths entering the lane. He finished it off by 2¼ lengths in a season’s=best 1:55.3.

Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Dube) couldn’t match strides with the winner but did get into second, with Mostinterestingman (Austin Siegelman), DW’s NY Yank (George Brennan) and Lily’s Swan Pond (Joe Bongiorno) settling for the minors.

            For Melady’s Monet, a 10-year-old Revenue S gelding owned by Melady Enterprises and trained by Hermann Heitmann, it was his second win (54^th career) in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $28.40, with triple  returned $115.50 and the superfecta paid $369.50.   

There weren’t many styles points for Bit of a Legend N in the week’s blind-draw adult pace. From post position No. 2, he went the distance (:28, :57.2, 1:25.1; 1:53.1), holding sway over a stubborn Don Domingo N (Matt Kakaley). The latter tried it first-up from third.  

The margin was a short head in 1:53.1. Imarocnrollegend N (George Brennan) was a  pocket third, with Bettor Memories (Bartlett) and Shneonucrzydiamnd A (Jim Marohn Jr.) rounding out the payees.  

            For Bit of a Legend N, a 10-year-old Down Under son of Bettor’s Delight owned by Von Knoblauch Stables and trained by Peter Tritton, it was his first win (47^th career) in a pair of ’19 tries. The exacta paid $13.80, the triple returned $44.80 and the superfecta paid $182.50.