BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Friday, August 2, 2019—Yonkers Raceway Friday night (Aug. 2nd)
hosted the $153,900 New York Sire Stakes Frank Becerra Pace for 2-year-old
fillies.
A trio of $51,300
races comprised the event.
The first
division saw Racine Bell (Jason Bartlett, $5.80), as the lone leaver make her
five rivals pay (:29, :59.2, 1:28.1, career-best 1:56.1).
From post position
No. 5, Racine Bell opened three lengths in and out of the final turn before
winning by that same margin.
Rapunzel Blue Chip
(George Brennan) as a loose-pocket second, with 11-10 favorite Dragon Roll
(Jordan Stratton) a non-threatening, first-up third. Galleria Gal (Tyler Buter)
was fourth.
For second choice
Racine Bell, a daughter of So Surreal co-owned by Chris & Dale Lawton and
trained by Dave Dewhurst, it was her third win in six seasonal/career starts.
The exacta paid $51.50, the triple returned $151.50 and the superfecta paid
$378.
The evening’s
second sire stakes rendition saw another down-the-road dominatrix in Merga
Hanover (Brennan, $4.30).
From post No. 3,
the public choice held So Rude (Joe Bongiorno) at bay by a head after spongy
intervals of :29.1, :59.1, 1:27.4 and
1:56.
Movie Town (Buter)
was a three-hole third, with Wannashakeyourtree (Bartlett) fourth.
For Merga Hanover,
an American Ideal ma’am co-owned by Thomas & Scott Dillon, Joe Sbrocco and
W J Donovan, it was her third win in four seasonal/career tries. The exacta
(two wagering favorites) paid $8.20, the triple paid $31 and the superfecta
paid $82.
Form didn’t hold
in the third and final statebred division as 1-2 choice Turnthefrownaround
(Bartlett) jumped it off by the half while sitting third.
Of those that
remained pacing as required, a maiden-no-longer Tipperary Hill (Buter, $59)
outgamed Cash Roll (Stratton) by a head in 1:56.3.
The latter had
taken over from first leader Chuppah On (Harry Landy), putting up subsections
of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:27.2.
Meanwhile,
pole-sitting Tipperary Hill improved a position when the favorite jumped, then
engaged the leader through the final turn before prevailing.
Roll with Angel
(Dan Dube) and Chuppah On rounded out the gimmick finishers.
For sixth choice
Tipperary Hill, an Art Major miss co-owned by David Smith, James De Armond,
James & Daniel Giannuzzi and trained by Jessica Okusko, it was a first
board finish in three ‘19/life starts. The exacta paid $144.50, the triple paid
$584 and the superfecta paid $2,859.
As an aside and
according to our esteemed photographer, Daniel Giannuzzi was more than mildly
enthused with Tipperary Hill’s longshot win. He was hoping for the same with
Sweet Chapter in Saturday’s (Aug. 3rd) Hambletonian Oaks.
Friday night’s
$46,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace was a hat trick for Feelin’ Red Hot
(Brennan, $2.90).
New York Sire
Stakes continue downstate Tuesday night (Aug. 6th), with the
$153,200 Jim Crawford Pace for 2-year-old colts and geldings.
Total purses for
the 2019 New York-bred program are estimated at $14 million. For more
information, please visit www.nysirestakes.com.
