BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, July 27, 2013--"If you can keep your wits about you
while all others are losing theirs, and blaming you. The world will be yours
and everything in it, what's more, you'll be a man, my son."
Rudyard Kipling, as performed by Ray Schnittker.
Schnittker and Dewycolorintheline prevailed Saturday night. winning the Yonkers
Trot, edition 59. Yonkers Raceway's first leg of the Trotting Triple
Crown--worth $450,000--turned out not to be a revival for the squeamish.
As if a harbinger, Boffin came up lame a few races before the Trot, and was
scratched. Then, just as the reduced field of seven 3-year-olds--six colts and
one gelding--bid adieu to the starters, 7-10 favorite Don'tyouyforgetit (Brian
Sears) immediately broke.
He quickly regained his balance while pole-sitting Fico (George Brennan) took
early control. Second-choice
Creampuff
Macdaddy (Jason Bartlett) was in hot pursuit, with Dewycolorintheline--leaving
from post position No. 2--away third. However, the "Creampuff" jumped
if off coming out the first turn.
Schnittker, wanting no part of a two-hole, grabbed the baton from Fico right at
a pokey, 29-second opening-quarter. Creampuff Macdaddy was back trotting, but
taking some of the freshest night air Westchester had to offer.
More drama in the second bend, as Celebrity Stimulus (Tom Jackson) misbehaved,
nearly going to his knees. Wrong place, wrong time for Don'tyouforgetit, who
was bothered like he was as the receiving end of a telemarketer at dinner time.
Other back markers were also hindered, including lone gelding Lauderdale (Brent
Holland).
Creampuff Macdaddy recovered to fall into a three-hole at the :57.4
intermission, with Lauderdale fourth and Don’tyouforgetit sixth, more than 23
lengths in arrears. The gang closed ranks coming toward the 1:27.2
three-quarters, with Creampuff Macdaddy pulling from third. However, he could
not sustain that bid.
Cantab Abs (Trond Smedshammer) was about to be passed by a Don'tyourforget, who
angled wide around a spent "Creampuff." All the while,
Dewycolorintheline owned a length-and-a-half lead into the lane.
He was never seriously threatened, whipping Fico by a couple of lengths in
1:57.3...second-slowest Trot (On the Tab-1:58.4 in 2010) since the Raceway
reclaimed the event in 2006 (shipped out two seasons to allow construction in
preparation for the "Empire City" era).
Lauderdale was third, with Don'tyouforgetit--making up 19 lengths in the back
half--fourth, beaten 4½ lengths. Cantab Abs earned the last check, ahead of
Creampuff Macdaddy (“He was just too hot,” Bartlett said. “I gave one tiny tap
early and I lost him.”) and Celebrity Stimulus.
For Dewycolorintheline, a $110,000 (Lexington) son Deweycheatumnhowe ('08
Trotter of Year) co-owned (along with Deweycolorintheline Stable) by his
trainer/driver, he returned $16.20 (fourth choice) for his first win in six
seasonal starts (2-for-13 lifetime, with career cash now $226,457). The exacta
paid $66.50, with the triple returning $521.
“You really don’t know what’s going on behind you,” Schnittker said after
winning his initial Yonkers Trot. “I knew George (Brennan) was on a longshot
and probably wanted to follow me. My horse is better from off the pace and I
know a couple of my owners may have had a stroke when I pulled but it all
worked out.
“He fractured a knee last year,” Schnittker said. “We had to put a screw in his
knee and he has come back so good. I have to thank Dr. Mike Ross who did the
surgery. He did a great job and now this horse is one hundred percent."
...and he kept his wits about him, too.
The
Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, with first post every
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting
accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the
NYRA schedule.
