BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Tuesday, March 26, 2019—“Just the way I drew it up.”
Such was the
tongue-in-cheek post mortem of driver George Brennan after Western Beachboy
($6.30) snapped favored Declan Seelster (Joe Bongiorno) at the wire Tuesday
night (March 26th), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $60,200 final of the
Sagamore Hill Pacing Series.
The Teddy
Roosevelt-approved assemblage was open to 3- and 4-year-olds gentlemen who
are/were non-winners of four races and/or $40,000 through last Dec. 1st.
A week after a
scorched-earth, life-best (1:52), down-the-road effort, Western Beachboy won the
finale from well off the pace.
Away sixth from
post position No. 6, Western Beachboy saw his coupled entrant, Prologue (Jim
Marohn Jr.), lead through early substations of 27 seconds flat and :56.2. Prologue was noticeably off the
cones by the intermission, causing 4-5 choice Declan Seelster to move wider
during his hard challenge from fourth.
Leader and stalker were inseparable through a :27.2 third
quarter (1:23.4), with Cheese Melt (Yannick Gingras) loosely pocketed and
Yeahnah (Troy Beyer) gapping from second-over.
While this scenario unfolded, Western Beachboy was going
three-deep down the backside, getting within shouting distance off the final
turn. Soon thereafter, Declan Seelster was about to win the battle—putting away
Prologue—but lose the war as Western Beachboy tagged him by a short nose in
1:53.1.
On Accident (Jordan Stratton) angled out, then back in late
to grab third, with Prologue and Cheese Melt rounding out the payees. The order
was completed by Yeahnah, a breaking-early Sharp Action Money (Jason Bartlett)
and a never-in-it/did not finish Better than Spring (Matt Kakaley).
Cheese Melt and Sharp Action Money were the other wagering
entry.
For second choice
Western Beachboy, a 4-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned (as Allard Racing)
by (trainer) Rene Allard, Bruce Soulsby, Alan Weisenberg and Gilbert Short, it
was his third win in nine seasonal starts ($61,300). The exacta paid $16.60,
with the triple returning $83. Per New York State rules, superfecta wagering
was not offered due to the presence of coupled entries.
“He was out a long
way,” Brennan said. “It was a very good effort. He used to always be locked on
the left line, but he’s become much easier to drive.”
A $30,000 series
consolation was won by Trump That (Gingras, $2.50) in 1:54.3.
