BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Thursday, August 22, 2013--Yonkers Raceway Thursday night played
host to the statebreds, with the $289,775 New York Sire Stakes Jim Meagher Pace
for 2-year-old colts and geldings.
Odds-on speed freak He's Watching (Jim Morrill Jr., $2.50) watched his manners
in the final ($97,725) event...and, has been the case, his rivals watched him.
Unhurried and wide into the first turn from post position No. 6, the 1-4 choice
was looped by Sheppard Pace winner Forty Five Red (Yannick Gingras).
He's Watching then methodically marched to the lead, securing it right at the
28.3 opening quarter-mile. He found an identical :28.3 second quarter (:57.1
half), and what figured to be a match race did indeed take shape.
He's Watching and Forty Five Red had the floor to themselves at the
1:25.3 three-quarters, with former taking a length-and-a-half lead into the
lane. That would be a close as Forty Five Red would get, as He's Watching
widened as he wished.
The final margin was 5½ lengths in 1:54.2. Third--beaten 11 lengths--went
Hardts or Bettor (George Brennan), with American plan (Jason Bartlett) and New
York Bets (Tim Tetrick) grabbing the remainder.
He's Watching, a world record-holding son of American Ideal co-owned by
(trainer) Dave Menary, Brad Gray and Michael Guerrero, is a perfect 4-for-4
(all in NYSS) this season ($104,653 and counting for a three-grand yearling).
The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $4.10, with the triple returning $19.40.
"Honestly, I couldn't have gone any slower," Morrill said.
"We're going to find out more about him in the (Sept. 28 sire stakes)
final."
Stay Up Late whipped a pocket-sitting Archetto Hanover (Marcus Miller) by
three-quarters of a length in 1:55. Sir Sam's Z Tam (Pat Lachance) and Keystone
Honor (Brennan) rounded out the ticket for wagering purposes, while Bakersfield
faded to last among the seven.
Stay Up Late, a son of Artiscape trained by Casie Coleman for co-owners
West Wins Stable and Christine Calhoun, is now 2-for-4 this season. The exacta
paid $13.60, the triple returned $100.50 and the superfecta paid $559.
Trainer Coleman doubled her fun in the second ($96,025) division as Design Guru
(Brennan, $5.60) was a handy winner. Nose on gate from post No. 3, he was
untested en route to a life-best (by more than three seconds) and night’s
fastest 1:54.1 effort. The job of the second choice was simplified when
7-5 choice Thereisapaceforus (Gingras) broke in the first turn. That one did
recover, but was never a factor.
The margin was 4½ lengths, with Big Boy Dreams (Morrill Jr.) winning the scrum
for second over a first-up Neat (Marcus Miller).
Design Guru, an Artiscape gelding owned by Jeff Snyder, has a pair of wins in
seven '13 tries. The exacta paid $66.50, with the triple returning $231.
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.
