BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, December 14, 2019—Yonkers Raceway bid adieu to one of its favorites,
Bit of a Legend N.
The 10-year-old
dual hemisphere double-millionaire, who was profiled earlier this week, was
retired Saturday night (Dec. 14th) in an appropriate place, the
Raceway winner’s circle.
Before going to
his next job—stallion duty at Midland Acres in Bloomingburg, OH—Bit of a Legend
N was honored by his human posse. Among those who gave their props to the 2016
Levy champion were co-owners Susan and Harry Von Knoblauch Jr., trainer Peter
Tritton, driver Jordan Stratton, caretakers Smiley Quinteros and Carlos
Rodriguez and official groupie Peter Venaglia.
“(Bit of a Legend N) allowed me to retire,” Von Knoblauch Jr. said, adding, “He
bought our family closer together. We can’t say we’ll find another as good as
him, but we try.”
Bit of a Legend N was an original $103,000 purchase by the late Harry Von
Knoblauch. He went on to earn $1.9 million in 99 North American starts, winning
a third (that’s 33 after some fast math).
“Peter (Tritton) and his staff took such good care of him,” Stratton said. “I
think that’s why he lasted so long.
“The horse’s name is Bit of a Legend, but the real legend was Peter. He never
put any pressure on me. I wasn’t as established a driver then, and even when we
didn’t get the results, he understood my thought process.”
Saturday night’s pair of $42,000 Open Handicaps were won by…
--Trot, Swansea (Austin Siegelman, $4.50) in 1:55.4,
--Pace, Mac’s Jackpot (Brent Holland, $12.20) in 1:52.2.
George Brennan, back from some R&R, won three races, halving the difference
(423-420) between himself in Jason Bartlett in the local driver standings with
two programs remaining before the ’19 season ends Tuesday night (Dec. 17th).
Bartlett was blanked Saturday evening.
