YONKERS, NY, Monday, June 24, 2013 --Yonkers Raceway Monday night played host to the $290,875 New York Sire Stakes Clyde Hirt Pace for 2-year-old fillies.
Five divisions--worth $58,175 each--had 34 young ladies on display, with all but one racing for purse money for the first time.
The first division saw odds-on Clara (Brian Sears, $2.90), from post position No. 5, a handy first-up victress. The Art Major homebred, owned by Yonkers' president Tim Rooney, grinded by pace-setter Hay Stacked (Ray Schnittker), then draw out by length-and-a-half in 1:58.1. Second went to a pocket-protecting It Was Fascination (Corey Callahan), with Jaded Dream (Tyler Buter) third.
The exacta paid $8.50, with the triple returning $66.
Sears was sent postward at 25-cents-on-the-dollar with Instant Respect in the second division, but the chalk players took it on the chin here. Leading to the lane, Instant Respect faded to fourth, as 15-1 Bettor Chill Out (Jeff Gregory, $32.20), from post No. 6, outclosed 14-1 pocket-sitter Supplemental Income (Matt Kakaley), winning by a neck in 1:57. Wondering Heart (George Brennan) went last-to-third.
The winning lass a daughter of Bettors Delight owned by Joseph Meaney and trained by Bruce Borden. The exacta paid $592, with the triple returning a local season-high $7,553.
Monday's third NYSS grouping had a down-the-road Scandalicious (Brennan, $4.50)--from post No. 2--winning by 2ΒΌ lengths in 1:56.2. Even-money fave Vitameatavegamin (Tim Tetrick, subbing for Lucille Ball) chased for second, with more than 10 lengths of daylight between that one and Mean Pauline (Matt Kakaley).
Scandalicious is a daughter of American Ideal owned by JFE Enterprises and trained by Scott DiDomenico. The exacta paid $9.10, with the triple returning $33.40.
The evening's fourth sire stakes event again saw the second choice (Ali Blue [Sears, $4.90]) picking off the people's preference (Bettor Business [Tetrick]). Leaving from post No. 2, Ali Blue was pocketed to Bettor Business, then beat her by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:56.4. Third went to a first-up Expose (Callahan).
Ali Blue is an American Ideal miss trained by Jimmy Takter for co-owners Christina Takter, Jim & John Fielding and RAW Equine. The exacta paid $8.20, with the triple returning $80.50.
The final NYSS grouping was won by second-choice Mind Over Matter (Tetrick, $5.50), throwing down the night's fastest gauntlet of 1:55.1. Sitting a three-hole--from post No. 2--to 3-4 fave Sweet Charity (Andrew McCarthy), Mind Over Matter picked off her foe by a length. Gentlemen's Delight (Sears), full sister to See You at Peelers, was third.
Mind Over Matter is another Art Major filly, this one a Millar Farms homebred trained by Gregg McNair. The exacta paid $9.40, with the triple returning $20.60.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, with first post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.
BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
