BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, June 26, 2018—New
York Sire Stakes continued downstate Tuesday night (June 26th), with
Yonkers Raceway hosting the $158,000 Jim Meagher Pace for 2-year-old colts and
geldings.
Three consecutive divisions—worth $53,000,
$52,000 and $53,000, respectively—comprised the event, which again honored the
memory of the Raceway’s long-time corporate controller.
Tuesday was the first sire stakes event
for the frosh, the majority of whom were making their purse debuts.
The opening division proved quite formful,
as the two choices ‘ran’ 1-2.. Odds-on World on Edge (Matt Kakaley,
$3.80), from post position No. 2, took over passing a :28.4 opening
quarter-mile, then finished it off from there (:58.2, 1:28.3, 1:57.1).
He defeated KJ Leo (George Brennan) by a
length-and-three-quarters, with 36-1 outsider Hurrikane Kingklee (Dan Dube),
Covered Bridge (Brian Sears) and Starship Trooper (Tim Tetrick) grabbing the
minors.
For World on Edge, a son of Roll with Joe
co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Joe DiScala Jr., J&T
Silva-Purnel & Libby and Adriano Sorella, it was his parimutuel debut. The
exacta paid $7.60, the triple retuned $68 and the superfecta paid $297.
The evening’s second grouping was an
unfair fight as Melodie’s Major (Tyler Buter, $7.60) tickled the teletimer in a
event’s-fastest 1:55.3.
From post No. 5, he two-moved around Bean
(Jason Bartlett) before a flat 30-second quarter, then gave nothing else a
chance (:59.2, 1:27.3 in between).
Melodie’s Major widened to four lengths in
and out of the final turn, lost Bean—who eventually broke in the lane—then
defeated slight 2-1 favorite Bicorne Hanover (Kakaley) by eight lengths. Third
went to Jojo’s Place (Corey Callahan), recovering from a nasty break at the
start, with slow-starting Jet Rock (Brian Sears) and Hestons Blue Chip (Jordan
Stratton) settling for the remainder.
For third choice Melodie’s Major, an Art
Major colt owned by Martin Scharf and trained by Mark Ford, he was another
making his career purse bow. The exacta paid $19.20, the triple retuned
$63 and the superfecta paid $297 (no a typo, same payout as previous race).
“I didn’t even ask him,” Buter said. “I
drove him twice in (Pocono) qualifiers and he impressed me.
“I think I’m going to stay with him.”
The evening’s final get-together saw Major
Blake (Tim Tetrick, $5.90), from post No. 3, complete his appointed rounds
(:29, :58.4, 1:27.4, 1:56). The final margin was 2½ lengths.
Jack Nation (Mark MacDonald) rallied for
second, with Buddy Hill (Scott Zeron) third.
Shanghai Bobby (Bartlett), pocketed as the
3-5 choice, but apparently wasn’t crazy about it. He vacated passing
three-quarters to challenge, was rebuffed and backpedaled to fourth. Blissful
Road (Buter) was fifth.
For second choice Major Blake, a son Art
Major co-owned by (trainer) Sam Schillaci, Matthew Bencic and Howard Berke, he,
too, was another first starter. The exacta paid $50.50, the triple retuned
$369.50 and the superfecta paid $454.
The next New
York Sire Stakes visit is Tuesday’s (July 3rd) Hugh Grant Trot
(2-year-old fillies, purse TBA).
