YR - YONKERS "VERY EARLY" CONDITION SHEET, STAKES FORMS NOW AVAILABLE

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, January 3, 2012 -- Yonkers Raceway has put out its condition sheet for the first two days of the 2012 racing season.

The sheet for Friday-Saturday, Jan. 13-14, is now available on-line (www.yonkersraceway.com, then go to "racing "icon), with the sheet for the first full week of racing (beginning Monday, Jan. 16) available shortly.

Also available for your viewing pleasure are nomination blanks for Yonkers' early 2012 series, the Petticoat and Sagamore Hill Pacing Series (both close Wednesday, Feb. 1), as well as the Blue Chip Matchmaker and George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series (both close Thursday, March 1).

Please note that nomination blanks for these series shall also begin appearing in various harness publications and their on-line counterparts, as well as the nightly racing program once the season gets underway.

For any question or further information, please contact the race office at 914-457-2627. 

MR - MIGHTY M DRIVING AND TRAINING CHAMPS IN AN IMPROMPTU WINNNERS CIRCLE CEREMONY

                                                      

On Monday, January 2^nd Mighty M assistant general manager and USTA  District 8 Director, Shawn Wiles  joined  the 2011  driving and training champions  for an impromptu trophy presentation ceremony in the tracks winners circle. Wiles was joined  by Bruce Aldrich, Jr. whose  410 winners  tops among drivers  and  by Gary Messenger, whose  104 winners from his barn earned him top honors among trainers. Bob Lounsbury’s .491 UTR was the best percentage among the trainers and Zeke Parker’s .341UDR copped the driving percentage crown.

For Aldrich it marked his second consecutive driving title and third of the 21^st Century while Messenger, who has always been among the top trainers, copped his first training title.

Track Assistant GM and USTA District 8 Director, Shawn Wiles joined 2011 driving and training leaders  Gary Messenger, (left), Bob Lounsbury (2^nd right) and Bruce Aldrich, Jr. (right) for an impromptu trophy  presentation. Absent  was top percentage driver Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr. (Geri Schwarz Photo)

Ppk5/8 - Change As Good As A Rest For Nilabomb

Nillabomb, one of the most recognizable fan favorite mares in Florida in recent years because of her striking roan color, came out with wholesale equipment changes but the same old fighting spirit to capture her 2012 debut at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. It was the first card of the New Year at the South Florida venue.

Trainer Eric Beach elected to let her hopples out an inch to 60 inches, take off her right side murphy blind, and change the 7 year old daughter of Admirals Galley-Be A Little Lady from a blind to can't-see-back bridle. Wally Hennessey, one of 31 drivers to occupy the race bike behind Nillabomb in her career, moved her to the lead just after the front quarter in 27.3 in the $5,300 purse conditioned test. In the backstretch after the 56.1 half, Nillabomb successfully dealt with the challenge of She's A Pegase in rein to Dan Clements to the final turn in 1:24.3. At the top of the stretch, Nillabomb appeared to be headed but fought back in the final strides to hold off the pocket sitting Aries Angel in rein to Rick Plano and the second over JK Geronimo partnered by Joe Pavia Jr.

It was the 38th career win for Nillabomb and her next paycheque will push her lifetime earnings past the $400,000 mark for the ownership group of Trifecta 246 Corp. of Boca Raton, FL.

In the $12,000 purse Mares Open Handicap Pace, Special Sweetheart made a quarter pole move to the front with Bruce Ranger in tow and went the rest of the way to score in 1:52.3. The 23 time career winner of over $822,000 conditioned by Peter Pellegrino has been one of Florida's winningest performers in recent year for Susan and Ted Colby's 4 For 3 Stable of Bronxville, NY. Runaway Tray sat a pocket trip with Joe Pavia Jr. up and there was a show dead heat involving Artcam driven by Fern Paquet Jr. and Bryan's Ideal partnered by Dan Clements.

Pacing mare Miss Sparta made her Florida debut a winning one in a $6,100 mares sub-feature on the Monday evening card. The 5 year old daughter of The Panderosa-Lady Genius tipped off cover to catch the favored pacesetter Best Around in a tight photo in 1:54.0 with trainer Joe Pavia Jr. in the bike. It was the first start for Miss Sparta since a $10,000 claim at Chester on December 13 for Doris and Kevin Hurley's Pint Size Stable of Boca Raton, FL. Cruisin In Pink closed next best for third with Rick Plano in the bike. 

Miss Sparta (7-Joe Pavia Jr.) just caught Best Around (5-Jason Dillander) in a $6,100 purse mares conditioned event on Monday evening, January 2 at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. It was the first start in Florida for Miss Sparta for the Pint Size Stable of Boca Raton since a December 13 claim at Chester Downs. (Skip Smith Photo)



Post time is 7:15 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing. Free race night live streaming, nightly handicapping selections by John Berry, and replays are in the 'racing' tab at www.theislepompanopark.com along with the full season racing schedule through July