YONKERS, NY, Friday, July 14, 2017 – Yonkers Raceway Friday night's (July 14th) hosted the $170,499 New York Sire Stakes Art Watson Pace for the harness racing 3-year-old fillies.
The lasses were condensed into a trio of moist $56,833 divisions.
Fresh-Lasix, fooled-very-few Tequila Monday (Brian Sears, $2.50) handily won the first get-together. In play from post position No. 6, last season's statebred frosh champ and this season's Lismore champ threw down the fastest gauntlet (:28., 56.4, 1:25, 1:53.4) of the sire stakes evening.
Tequila Monday defeated her pocket shadow, World Apart (Jason Bartlett) by 2¾ lengths, with Carly Girl (George Brennan) third.
For Tequila Monday, a daughter of American Ideal trained by Chris Oakes for co-owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey, it was her fifth win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $5.80, with the triple returning $18.40.
Tequila Monday
Sears doubled-up his sire stakes pleasure a race later. He and Ann Hill ($25.40) were the beneficiaries when 1-4 choice Obvious Blue Chip (Bartlett) 'fell down' on an open, but ultimately too quick (:26.4, :56.4, 1:25.2) lead.
Ann Hill, from No. 4, slid out to race second-over, then rallied through the lane. She defeated Queen Josephine (Matt Kakaley) by a length in 1:55.4, a tick off her life best. Planet Rock (Dan Dube) third. 'Obvious' faded to fifth.
For Ann Hill, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven co-owned by (trainer) Richie Silverman and Neal Oksenberg, it was her second win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $151.50, with the triple returning $2,218
"We purchased her after last season and pointed her for the sire stakes," Silverman said. "She's a beautiful filly, not a killer but very handy. I'm lucky to have her."
Ann Hill
Friday night's statebred finale saw second choice Clear Idea (Mark MacDonald, $5.80) finish what she started (:28, :58, 1:26.2, 1:54.4), winning by a half-length.
From post No. 6, she fought off a prolonged bid of even-money Roaring to Go (Brett Miller) for a fourth consecutive victory. Touchamatic (Brennan) was a wide-off-the-final-turn third.
For Clear Idea, an American Ideal miss co-owned by (trainer) Blake MacIntosh and Hutt Racing, it was her sixth win in a dozen '17 tries. The exacta paid $12.40, with the triple returning $42.60.
"She's just been getting better and better with each start," MacDonald said. "She went a big mile at Vernon (NYSS, 1:52) last month and hasn't turned in a bad race since."
Clear Idea
New York Sire Stakes continue here Tuesday night (July 18th), with the $160,000 Bruce Hamilton Trot for 2-year-old fillies.
Friday night's $55,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace was won by favored Medusa (Kakaley, $5.90) in 1:53.1.
A reminder
A reminder regarding Yonkers Raceway’s matinee soiree this Sunday (July 16th), with a 12:30 PM first post. It’s the first of eight consecutive Sundays.
It’s another 12-race, all-trot extravaganza, with races 2 (post time 12:55 PM) through 5 (2:25 PM) of the ‘French’ theme, as in overflow fields at the mile-and-one-quarter distance. The $68,000 Open Handicap goes as the second race with a robust dozen, featuring world champion Resolve (Ake Svanstedt, post 8).
The remaining July Sundays (23rd & 30th) are set for 12:30 PM and 11:30 AM, respectively. August Sunday post times are TBA.
The ‘New York, New York Double’ is also back this Sunday, including Belmont’s 3rd race (post time 2:37 PM) and Yonkers’ 7th race (post time 3:05 PM). Program pages accompany this release.
Final post for Sunday is scheduled for 4:45 PM.
Frank Drucker