BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, July 14, 2018—They’re 2-year-olds. Things happen.
Such was the case
in Saturday night’s (July 14th) $100,000 Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace,
Yonkers Raceway’s premier event for ‘open’ frosh colts and geldings honoring
the Hall of Fame founder of Hanover Shoe Farms.
When the stone
dust settled, Hickfromfrenchlick (Mark MacDonald, $5.30) emerged an open-length
winner in a six-horse race that was not for the squeamish.
At the outset, the
eventual winner—from post position No. 2—was off the gate. His next-door
neighbor to the outside, Just Plain Loco (Jim Marohn Jr.), tried to leave but
threw in steps. He eventually righted the ship, but was wide into the first
turn.
Meanwhile, 4-5
choice World on Edge (George Brennan) led into the first turn, only to jump it
off That left first starter and 58-1 rank outsider Can We Dance (Greg
Merton) as sort of a default leader from his outside post.
The bombardier put
up intervals of :28 and :57, the latter as pole-sitting Hurrikane Kingklee (Dan
Dube) tried to pull pocket, only to reconsider.
Nearing the 1:26.1
three-quarters, the field truncated…even World on Edge, who then misbehaved
again. Hurrikane Kingklee finally did dispose of the longshot leader, while
Hickfromfrenchlick was right behind.
The ‘Hick’ inhaled
the tiring front-enders in the final turn, opening to two lengths into the
lane.
Hickfromfrenchlick
then rolled home in his parimutuel debut, the final margin 3¼ lengths in
1:55.4. Just Plain Loco, who angled widest into the final turn, survived his
race race-and-a-half to finish second, with another first-starter Treasure Tom
(Jason Bartlett) third. Hurrikane Kingklee and Can We Dance settled for the
minors, while World on Edge needs to think about what he did.
For second choice
Hickfromfrenchlick, a $47,000 (Goshen NY) plebe son of Larry Bird, er, So
Surreal, co-owned by (trainer) Ray Schnittker, Nolamaura Racing and Thomas
Spatorico, he’s won both of his purse tries (Landmark at Goshen). The exacta
paid $20, the triple paid $155 and the superfecta paid $367.
“He shied from the
car at the start,” MacDonald said. “I was fortunate with the breakers to get
away where I did and just sort of sit there.
“When Danny (Dube, Hurrikane Kingklee) pulled, I was right behind him and he
just sort of paced away. Ray (Schnittker) told me not to screw it up. A strange
race. Glad we won.”
Saturday’s $44,000
Open Handicap Pace was won by odds-on Always at My Place (Brennan, $3.10) in a
season’s-best 1:50.3.
Sunday’s (July 15th)
matinee goes at 11:28 AM, with the first four ‘French’ trots going as both overflow-field
and added-distance (mile-and-a-quarter)
