BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Monday, August 26, 2013--First-season fillies were on display
Monday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $288,772 New York Sire Stakes
Mike Cohen Trot.
Four divisions--at $72,193 each--comprised the event, which began with the
biggest parimutuel surprise of the entire season.
Market Rally (John Cummings Jr.), sent off at two bits more than 100-1, held
off 3-10 choice Annie's List (Andy Miller) by a neck in 2:01.2...a life-best by
more than four seconds. Starting outside her six foes, Market Rally did her
damage from third over, while "Annie"--recovering from an early break--went
wider but could not reach.
Exotic Form (Dan Daley) was third, beaten 4½ lengths.
For Market Rally, a daughter of Cash Hall co-owned by (trainer) Megan Wilson
and Johnny Yoder, the $202.50 win mutuel made her 2-for-6 this season. The
exacta paid $708, with the triple returning $2,093.
Form held in the second division, as just-over-even-money Maud Blue Chip (Cat
Manzi) eased first-up. Starting from post No. 4, "Maud" engaged
pace-setting Flyhawk Falina (Daley), then widened to a couple of lengths in a
life-best 2:01.1.
Caroline Street (Ray Schnittker) was able to get into second, with
"Falina" tiring to third.
For Maud Blue Chip, a Credit Winner miss trained by Chuck Sylvester for
co-owners Melvin Hartman, David McDuffee and Little E LLC, she returned $4.10
for her second win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $67, the triple
returned $120.50 and the superfecta (L Dee's Scripture {Miller] fourth) paid
$350.50.
Manzi doubled his fun in the third event with maiden-breaking Gammy's Girl
($12.60) going down the road from the pole (2:01.3). It was "Gammy"
fending off a stiff challenge from 3-5 choice Crediama (Trond Smedshammer),
then winning by 2¼ lengths. How About Cash (Dan Dube) rallied for second, with
51-1 rank outsider Oh Sweet Penelope (Daley) third. Crediama faded to fourth.
For third choice Gammy's Girl, a daughter of Conway Hall co-owned by LST
Stables and William DeVan Jr. and trained by Bill Popfinger, she's hit the
board in all six '13 tries (1 win, 2 seconds, 3 thirds). The exacta paid
$170.50, with the triple returning $1,788.
The final grouping produced the night's fastest effort, as 4-5 choice Beauty of
Gray (Jim Meittinis) made it look simple. Two-moving to the lead from
post No. 4, she never had an anxious moment. The final margin was 3¾
lengths in 2:00.1. In keeping with tonight's theme, it, too, was a life-best.
Fashionableapple (Brian Sears) was second, ahead of pocket-sitting Barn Beauty
(Cummings Jr.).
For Beauty of Gray, a Conway Hall lass Swedish co-owned by (trainer) Tommy
Andersson and Courant AB, she returned $3.70 for her second (consecutive) win
in three plebe tries. The exacta paid $20.20, with the triple returning
$92.
Statebreds return Tuesday night with the $235,887 NYSS Frank Becerra Pace
(2-year-old fillies) and Friday evening with the $282,975 NYSS Bruce Hamilton
Pace (3-year-old fillies).
