BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, July 6,
2019—Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday night (July 6th) offered a look into
the future.
A trio of $25,000 eliminations for the
Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace saw 18 (after one defection) 2-year-olds (17 colts
and one gelding) vie for an invite to next Saturday night’s (July 13th)
$120,250 finale.
Columbo (Eric Goodell, $26.60), from post
position No. 3, won the fastest of the elims, sitting the loosest of pockets as
lone gelding Freedom Warrior (Jordan Stratton) was a wild horse…as defined by
runaway intervals of :27.1, 54.4 and
1:23.4.
Columbo
predictably closed ranks and went by, winning by a length-and-a-quarter in a
purse-debuting 1:54. Freedom Warrior held second, while a steppy 3-4 choice
Hunter Hill (Tyler Buter) found his best stride late for third.
For fourth choice Columbo, a son of Sweet
Lou owned by Ken Jacbos and trained by Gareth Dowse, he led exotics of $164
(exacta), $339.50 (triple) and $1,181 (superfecta).
The other elims were won by…
--American Rebel (by American Ideal);
co-owners (trainer) Rob Harmon,Robert Robinson/driver Stratton; (first life
win) 1:57.1/$8.30;
--Save Me a Dance (by Heston Blue Chip):
owner Robert Key/trainer Andrew Harris/driver Jason Bartlett; (life-best)
1:55.2/$6.40.
The eight finalists include the three
elimination winners plus Freedom Warrior, Han Solo, Hunter Hill, Level Up and
Manticore.
Open draw for the Sheppard Pace takes
places Monday afternoon (July 8th).
Saturday night’s pair of $46,000 Open
Handicaps were won by…
--(Pace), Micky Gee N (Stratton, $8.90) in
a life-best 1:50.1;
--(Trot), Eye ofa Tiger AS (catch-driver
Goodell, $5.70) in 1:54.3.
