BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, July 13,
2019—Columbo (Eric Goodell, $6.70), sans the rumpled raincoat, was the fastest
frosh Saturday night (July 13th), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $120,250
final of the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace for 2-year-old colts and geldings. The
race again honored the Hall of Fame founder of Hanover Shoe Farms.
From post position No. 4, Columbo had designs on leaving, but was caught wide
early as the inside threesome all had the same idea.
Hunter Hill (Tyler Buter), as the 9-5 favorite, eventually worked around
American Rebel (Pat Lachance), making the lead before a non-stressed, 29-second
opening quarter-mile.
They weren’t going much (:57.4) to the half, either, when Columbo took out of
fourth. He began to engage Hunter Hill after a 1:26.2 three-quarters, with Save
Me a Dance (Jason Bartlett) working from second-over.
Hunter Hill was grudgingly giving up the ghost in and out of the final turn as
Columbo put him away. The latter then held off Save Me a Dance to win by a
half-length in 1:55.4. A from-last, eight-hole Manticore (Jim Marohn Jr.)
closed crisply for third at 36-1, with a tiring Hunter Hill and American Rebel
settling for the smaller envelopes.
Level Up (Mark MacDonald), Han Solo (George Brennan) and a misbehaving-early
lone gelding Freedom Warrior (Jordan Stratton) completed the order.
For third choice Columbo, a son of Sweet
Lou owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by Gareth Dowse, it was his second win in
as many season/career tries. He did take down the fastest of last week’s three
eliminations in 1:54. The exacta here paid $15.60, the triple paid $163.50 and
the superfecta paid $468.50.
“You never know how these races with 2-year-olds are going to unfold,” Goodell said. “Before anything, you want to get around the first turn
“You never know how these races with 2-year-olds are going to unfold,” Goodell said. “Before anything, you want to get around the first turn
“I thought about moving when Tyler (Buter,
driving Hunter Hill) did, and I thought I made a mistake when I didn’t,”
Goodell said. “When I did go with him, he was acting sort of goofy, sort of
wanting to make friends with the other horses. He didn’t really seem to get it
until late.
“I think he can move forward from here.”
Saturday night’s pair of $46,000 Open/Open
Handicaps were won by…
--(Open Pace), Scott Rocks (Buter, $7) in
a life-best 1:51.2;
--(Open Handicap Trot), Cromwell
(Bartlett, $12.20) in 1:53.3, fastest local trot mile of the season.
