BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Thursday, March 22,
2018—Yonkers Raceway offers up its two richest races of the season to date next
week, wrapping up the Petticoat and Sagamore Hill Pacing Series, respectively.
Monday night (March 26th), with
chivalry dictating the ladies go first, it’s the $62,000 finale (7th
race) of the Petticoat. The series, for 3- and 4-year-old lasses with limited
(non-winners of four races and/or $40,000 through last Dec. 1st)
limelight, has seen some standouts in the three preliminary legs.
Caviart Cherie (Jordan Stratton, post 8),
JK Jazzitup (Mark MacDonald, post 2), Dali Delight (Dan Dube, post 4) and
Diamondtoothgertie (George Brennan, post 5) each won twice in the prelims, with
JK Jazzitup and Dali Delight racing as a Gilberto Garcia-Herrera
common-owner/trainer entry.
Gotthisone Hanover (Yannick Gingras, post
1), Absolutely Best (Jason Battlett, post 3) D G’s Elsa (Eric Goodell,
post 6) and Lusty Delight (Greg Merton, post 7) round out the field for the
finale. All entrants are 4-year-olds.
Tuesday night (March 27th), the
Raceway’s annual Teddy Roosevelt testimonial, the Sagamore Hill wraps with a
final worth $63,400. It’s the boys’ version of the Petticoat, again for 3- and
4-year-olds of restricted resumes through last Dec. 1st.
Sometimesawinner (Brennan, post 3) won
both of his series starts before getting last week off, while Mach N Cheese
(Stratton, post 7) sandwiched a couple of wins around a second-place effort.
These are the only sophomores in the finale lineup.
Obscene Blue Chip (Bartlett, post 4) and
Poinstomewherelse (Jeff Gregory, post 5) were also two-time prelim winners.
Abbeydorney (Bartlett also listed, post
1), Zone Blitz (Jim Marohn Jr., post 2), Fullback (Driver TBA, post 6) and
Windsun Gotham (Brennan also listed, post 8) complete the field (note changes
for the Tuesday shall be made Friday, Marsh 23rd).
“The draw for both races obviously hurts,”
Stratton said.
“The Caviart Cherie mare is a drive I
picked up after Matt (Kakaley) went down. He had won a lot (four) in a row with
her. I was second last week, and was second with her the previous time I drove
her (late January).
“She has the talent. We have to see how
the race unfolds.”
“I drove Mach N Cheese in his last two
starts,” Stratton said. “The first one, he had some trouble in the final turn.
Last week, he went first-up and just drew off…very sharp.”
A pair of $30,000 series consolations are
included in the Monday and Tuesday undercards, going as each evening’s third
race.
