Yonkers, NY — A pair of $40,000 eliminations for the 28th edition of the Art Rooney Pace are slated for this Saturday night, May 19th, at Yonkers Raceway sets the stage for next Saturday's (May 26th) $300,000 Rooney Final. Ten three-year-old harness racing colts and geldings will go to the post.
The Rooney pays homage to iconic Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers owner and patriarch of the Rooney family.
The Rooney elims are each a five-to-eliminate-one affair, races six and eight on the 10-race program, with the first four in each returning for next Saturday night's (May 26th) finale.
These are the six colts and four geldings entered:
Rooney 1st elimination (6th race):
1 – Jimtastic by Art Major
2 – Major Authority by Art Major
3 – Decoy by Somebeachsomewhere
4 – Matinee Fashion by Roll With Joe
5 – Minnie Vinnie by Millionaire Cam
Rooney 2nd elimination (8th race):
1 – Trump Nation by Betterthancheddar
2 – Kwik Talkin' by Well Said
3 – Springsteen by Rock N Roll Heaven
4- Babes Dig Me by Somebeachsomewhere
5 – Handsoffmychips by Roll With Joe
(Handsoffmychips, Major Authority, Matinee Fashion and Minnie Vinnie are the geldings).
The filly companion event to the Rooney, the Lismore Pace, offers nine three-year-old young ladies. That number necessitated a larger game of 'musical chairs,' with all the fillies in one tidy $20,000 elimination. That elim is the fifth race, with the first octet going after $111,444 in the Saturday, May 26th final.
The single elim drew out as such…
1 – Python Blue Chip by Roll With Joe
2 – Krushed Apple by Western Terror
3 – Solitary by American Ideal
4 – Jewels Forreal by So Surreal
5 – Pass Line Bluechip by Bettor's Delight
6 – Believe in Me by Roll With Joe
7 – Reign on Me by Well Said
8 – Alexa's Power by Somebeachsomewhere
9 – Checkered Past by American Ideal
Note that Python Blue Chip, Jewels Forreal and Reign on Me are coupled (intersecting owner/trainer), as are Krushed Apple and Believe in Me are also partnered (common ownership).
First post Saturday is the usual 6:50 PM.
John Cirillo