Gingras stakes hat trick headlines Vernon closing night

by James Witherite, Vernon Downs racing media

It's seemed lately that Yannick Gingras has had the Midas touch, racking up stakes wins with incredible ease.  He continued in that fashion on Saturday (November 1) evening at Vernon Downs, taking home gold in three of the four stakes races on the 11-race closing night program.

His stakes hat trick began in the $178,000 Artiscape distaff pace, where he kept double millionaire Rocklamation ($7.30) off a strenuous early pace.  Second-over on the far turn behind Shelliscape (John Campbell), Gingras moved the six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover mare three-wide at head-stretch, drawing clear of the pacesetting Somwherovrarainbow (David Miller) en route to a three-length 1:50.2 win.  Triple millionaire Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick) faded to fourth after tracking from the pocket through the race's middle stages.

Ron Burke trains Rocklamation for the Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45, and the J & T Silva Stables.

Gingras came right back in the $240,500 Kindergarten Classic for two-year-old colts, holding sway wither French Laundry ($5.90) after a middle move to the fore.  Clearing the front just past a :57.1 half mile, the son of Muscles Yankee and Creamy Mimi held off a first-over challenge from Airman Batten (Lewayne Miller), subsequently keeping pocket rival Boots N Chains (Corey Callahan) at bay for a 1-3/4 length triumph in 1:54.4.

Jimmy Takter trains French Laundry for the partnership of Takter, Fielding, Fielding, Katz, and Libfeld.

The $251,100 Kindergarten Classic for two-year-old fillies was next on the card, yielding a narrow miss for the Green Hornet--his only defeat for the evening.  Lady Clarabella ($7.10), who scored a 1:54.2 track record performance at Vernon earlier in the season, tracked live cover from Allerage Star (Corey Callahan) through the far turn, left uncovered in the stretch.  In the final yards, David Miller urged Lady Clarabella to the fore, having just enough to stave off the late charge of Sarcy (Gingras).

Randy Beeckman trains Lady Clarabella, a daughter of Lear Jetta and Jet By, for Paul Kinnear and Dreamland Farms.

Gingras rebounded amply in the $178,000 Muscle Hill distaff trot, retaining his usual drive aboard Maven ($5.10) in her pari-mutuel debut for trainer Ron Burke, and turning in a sensational track-record effort.  The five-year-old Glidemaster mare took the lead from the sharply-clearing Bee a Magician (Brian Sears) after  :26.3 initial quarter, controlling the terms through a :57.4 middle half while keeping the first-over Classic Martine (Tim Tetrick) at bay through the stretch.  Maven would not be deined in the extended battle, defeating Classic Martine by a half length in 1:52, a track record for older trotting mares.

William Donovan owns the internationally-acclaimed Maven.

Earlier in the card, driving champion Chris Lems and training champion David Dewhurst were honored in the winner's enclosure, along with 2014 Vernon Downs Horse of the Year A Penny Earned.

An Artist's Dream scores in Four One One at Vernon

by James Witherite, Vernon Downs racing media

Saratoga shipper An Artist's Dream ($20.40) managed to escape the pocket in the final 150 yards of Friday (October 31) evening's featured $6,500 Four One One Pace for grey and roan horses at Vernon Downs, scoring a 1:52.2 minor upset.

Settling into the pocket amid a three-way pace battle with Ontario invader Zambuca Gass (John MacDonald) and top local mare Artic Byrd (Truman Gale), An Artist's Dream tracked blistering early fractions of :26 and :54.2.  While close to the fast pace, the five-year-old Admirals Galley gelding was boxed in on the far turn, as Artic Byrd commenced a first-over bid, applying pressure on Zambuca Gass through three-quarters in 1:23 and in upper stretch.  With Artic Byrd flattening, Jimmy Whittemore was able to wedge An Artist's Dream between rivals with 150 yards to go, taking the lead in deep stretch to beat the favored Zambuca Gass by a widening 1-1/4 lengths.  The Grey Bullet (Joe Nassimos) made a late rally up the pegs to finish third off a ground-saving trip.

Ray Sharpe owns and trains An Artist's Dream, now a six-time winner.

The race was named for Four One One, a 12-year-old grey pacer who was honored earlier in the card with a special retirement ceremony.  He and longtime trainer Wayne Hughes led the post parade for the evening's featured race.

The 2014 season at Vernon Downs wraps up on Saturday (November 1), with the first of 11 races scheduled for a special 6:00 p.m. EDT post time.

COFFEE ADDICT, DW’S NY YANK WIN FRIDAY 35G CO-FEATURES

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

YONKERS, NY, Friday, October 31, 2014—Yonkers Raceway’s Halloween night $35,000 co-featured Open Handicaps—one for distaff pacers and one for any trotter with scary moves—were won by a long, first-up Coffee Addict (Dan Dube, $11.60) and a start-to-finish DW’s NY Yank (George Brennan, $4.20).

Unhurried from an assigned post position No. 5, Coffee Addict watched as 17-10 choice Campanile (Tyler Buter) moved around Robin Cruiser (Jordan Stratton). The former made the lead right at a :27.3 opening quarter-mile, then found a 57-second intermission.

            Soon thereafter, Coffee Addict moved from fifth, and did so in a hurry. She engaged—but could get by—Campanile in and out of a 1:25.1 three-quarters. Campanile held on to a slim lead entering the lane, but Coffee Addict was not quite done.

That one, despite the tough trip, outgamed both the pace-setter and pocket-sitter, beating “Robin” by a half-length in 1:52.2. Venus Delight (Jason Bartlett), last at the three-quarters, closed for third, with Campanile and last week’s victress, Set Me Up (Brennan), completing the cashers.     

For fifth choice Coffee Addict, a 4-year-old daughter of Dragon Again co-owned by Keystoners James Clarke St & Andrew Altobelli and trained by Bruce Saunders, it was her seventh win in 29 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $44.70, with the triple returning $406.50.

:27.4, :58.1, 1:26.4, 1:55 

The week’s marquee trot saw 11-10 fave DW’s NY Yank take it the distance (:27.4, :58.1, 1:26.4, 1:55). Nose on gate from post No. 4, he left, with Lorenzo Dream (Brent Holland) dropping in behind. From there, no  issues at all, with the final margin a simple 3¾ lengths.

  

            Second went to a chasing NF Happenstance (Jeff Gregory), with Somebody AS (Dube), Dancehall Mistress (Brian Sears) and “Lorenzo” settling for the remainder. 

For “DW,” a  5-year-old Dilbert Hanover gelding co-owned (as  Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Howard Taylor, he’s now 10-for-27 this season. The exacta paid $28.40, the triple returned $320.50 and the superfecta paid $1,985.

            The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, with first post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM (note Sunday matinees begin Nov. 9). Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available daily.