BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, October 22, 2013--A total of 10 3-year-olds--eight colts
and two geldings--were entered for Yonkers Raceway's Messenger Stakes, final
jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown. The 58th Messenger offers a total purse of
$530,000.
The number means the event--final jewel of the Pacing Triple
Crown--necessitated eliminations for the first time since 2007. A pair of
$40,000 elims (races 6 and 7 on the 13-race card) go this Saturday, with the
first four finishers in each returning for the Saturday, Nov. 2, final, worth
its guaranteed $450,000 purse.
First elim (with declared drivers)...1-Lonewolf Currier (Brian Sears), 2-Dedi's
Dragon (George Brennan), 3-Sunfire Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras), 4-Ronny Bugatti
(Brennan also listed), 5-Good Day Mate (Sears also listed)
Second elim (with declared drivers) ...1-Lucan Hanover (Dave
Miller), 2-Bet the Moon (Brennan), 3-Twilight Bonfire (Ron Pierce), 4-Odds On
Equuleus (Sears), 5-Word Power (Brennan also listed)
Lucan Hanover and Ronny Bugatti are the geldings.
The companion event, the $218,684 Lady Maud Pace, attracted 14 3-year-old
fillies. It, too, requires eliminations--two, $20,000 races (Nos. 4 and 5) this
Saturday--with the first four in each returning for the $178,684 final, also
Saturday, Nov. 2.
First elim (with declared drivers)...1-Somwherovrarainbow (Sears), 2-Social
Scene (Brennan), 3-Charisma Hanover (Gingras) 4-Handsoffmycupcake (Dan Dube),
5-Parlee Beach (Brennan also listed), 6-Zinderella (Jordan Stratton) and
7-Certified Ideal (Jim Pantaleano). Note that Social Scene and Parlee
Beach shall race as a Casie Coleman-trained (part-owner of Social Scene) entry.
Second elim (with declared drivers)...1-Live Entertainment (Pierce),
2-Scandalous Hanover (Dave Miller), 3-Aunt Caroline (Scott Zeron),
4-Jerseylicious (Corey Callahan), 5-Antigua Hanover (Jason Bartlett),
6-Summertime Lea (Brennan) and 7-Bettor Think Twice (Tim Tetrick).
Scandalous Hanover was a $15,000 supplemental entrant.
Note that program changes for Saturday's card are to made Wednesday morning.
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.
