Trotters on display Sunday afternoon and evening
While many sports enthusiasts were keen on watching the National Football League games on Sunday afternoon and evening, serious and novice standardbred racing fans were eager to see the numerous trotting events at Yonkers Raceway in New York and the lone trot at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland that evening.
Sunday's seasonal finale at Yonkers began with the $40,000 Open Handicap for older trotters and was won by one of the track's regulars. Melady's Monet (Jason Bartlett) overcame post six to prevail as an overlooked 7-1 shot in 1:56.4. An eight-year-old Revenue S gelding trained by Kevin McDermott, Melady's Monet rebounded from two setbacks as the beaten favorite in the Open to end the campaign with a determined score. He enjoyed a 7-3-2 slate and $160,000 bankroll from 17 starts this year and now owns 47 wins and nearly $1.2 million banked from 152 career outings.
Several races later in the first of numerous conditioned trot events at one-mile and one-quarter, aimed to please the French fans, Money Maven (Daniel Dube) ended his season with a sharp score as the 9-2 fourth choice in 2:28.2. Another eight-year-old Revenie S gelding trained by Julie Miller, Money Maven ended '17 with a 4-5-5 slate and $170,000 banked from 32 starts and now sports 28 wins and earnings of nearly $533,000 from 185 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $25,000 last five starts class for older trotters, Cash Me Out (Eric Goodell) lived up to his role as the even-money choice when when prevailed in 2:27.1 for the distance in his return to the lower New York oval. A six-year-old Cash Hall gelding trained by Kyle Spagnola, Cash Me Out returned from five starts in the Open Hcp at Saratoga to notch his seventh win from 29 starts this year and he now owns 31 wins and nearly $830,000 banked from 120 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $10,000 last five starts class at the marathon distance, Dog Gone Lucky (Jordan Stratton) lived up to his billing as the tepid 2-1 choice when he scored in 2:29 for the added distance. A four-year-old Lucky Chucky gelding trained by Julie Miller, Dog Gone Lucky ended his season with a 3-2-2 slate and $39,000 banked and recorded his 10th win from 38 lifetime outings and pushed his career earnings toward $575,000/
Then one race later in a non-winners of six races or $60,000 lifetime class for three- and four-year-old trotters, Dream Massive (Bartlett) notched his second straight victory and third score in his last four starts when he scored in 2:29. A sophomore son of Muscle Mass trained by Alicia Gray, Dream Massive owns a 4-7-2 slate and $107,000 banked from 23 starts this year and now owns a 5-7-4 slate and $163,000 bankroll from 29 career tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $6,100 last five starts class for trotters, Elysium Lindy (George Brennan) overcame post eight to prevail handily in 2:28.2. A four-year-old Cantab Hall gelding trained by Ron Burke, Elysium Lindy ended a modest skid by recording his third win from 29 starts this year and he now owns a 10-12-6 slate and $158,000 bankroll from 64 lifetime tries. His winning clocking suggests that he could successfully step up in class next out.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $5,000 last five starts class for trotters, Tough Get Going (Matt Kakaley) overcame a three-week rest to score as the 4-1 third choice in 2:31.1 for the added distance. A four-year-old Kadabra gelding trained by Richard Banca, Tough Get Going emerged from numerous outings in the amateur driving series to notch his fourth win from 32 starts this year and now owns eight wins and $110,000 banked from 63 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in the Sunday finale, Gruden (Yannick Gingras) easily lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite in a non-winners of eight races or $80,000 lifetime class when he held safe 2-1 second choice Evelyn (Andy Miller) to score in 2:28.3. Named for one of the Gruden brothers with NFL ties, Gruden notched his second straight score and fourth win in his last five tries and ended the season with a 9-4-2 slate and $70,000 banked from 17 starts. The four-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding trained by Rene Allard now owns 13 wins and earnings of nearly $85,000 from 21 career tries.
That same evening at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, Bella's Punkett (Allan Davis) continued her formful end to the campaign when she overcame a first over bid to score in 1:57.3 as the 3-1 third choice in a non-winners of $4,000 last five starts class for trotters. A five-year-old Super Punk mare owned and trained by Jay Baxter, Bella's Punkett recorded her third win in last four starts and owns a 4-1-2 slate and $15,000 banked from 20 starts this year. She now owns a 9-7-7 slate and $66,500 bankroll from 62 career tries including a handy score in the "Powder Puff Derby" earlier this summer at Ocean Downs.
Sunday's seasonal finale at Yonkers began with the $40,000 Open Handicap for older trotters and was won by one of the track's regulars. Melady's Monet (Jason Bartlett) overcame post six to prevail as an overlooked 7-1 shot in 1:56.4. An eight-year-old Revenue S gelding trained by Kevin McDermott, Melady's Monet rebounded from two setbacks as the beaten favorite in the Open to end the campaign with a determined score. He enjoyed a 7-3-2 slate and $160,000 bankroll from 17 starts this year and now owns 47 wins and nearly $1.2 million banked from 152 career outings.
Several races later in the first of numerous conditioned trot events at one-mile and one-quarter, aimed to please the French fans, Money Maven (Daniel Dube) ended his season with a sharp score as the 9-2 fourth choice in 2:28.2. Another eight-year-old Revenie S gelding trained by Julie Miller, Money Maven ended '17 with a 4-5-5 slate and $170,000 banked from 32 starts and now sports 28 wins and earnings of nearly $533,000 from 185 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $25,000 last five starts class for older trotters, Cash Me Out (Eric Goodell) lived up to his role as the even-money choice when when prevailed in 2:27.1 for the distance in his return to the lower New York oval. A six-year-old Cash Hall gelding trained by Kyle Spagnola, Cash Me Out returned from five starts in the Open Hcp at Saratoga to notch his seventh win from 29 starts this year and he now owns 31 wins and nearly $830,000 banked from 120 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $10,000 last five starts class at the marathon distance, Dog Gone Lucky (Jordan Stratton) lived up to his billing as the tepid 2-1 choice when he scored in 2:29 for the added distance. A four-year-old Lucky Chucky gelding trained by Julie Miller, Dog Gone Lucky ended his season with a 3-2-2 slate and $39,000 banked and recorded his 10th win from 38 lifetime outings and pushed his career earnings toward $575,000/
Then one race later in a non-winners of six races or $60,000 lifetime class for three- and four-year-old trotters, Dream Massive (Bartlett) notched his second straight victory and third score in his last four starts when he scored in 2:29. A sophomore son of Muscle Mass trained by Alicia Gray, Dream Massive owns a 4-7-2 slate and $107,000 banked from 23 starts this year and now owns a 5-7-4 slate and $163,000 bankroll from 29 career tries.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $6,100 last five starts class for trotters, Elysium Lindy (George Brennan) overcame post eight to prevail handily in 2:28.2. A four-year-old Cantab Hall gelding trained by Ron Burke, Elysium Lindy ended a modest skid by recording his third win from 29 starts this year and he now owns a 10-12-6 slate and $158,000 bankroll from 64 lifetime tries. His winning clocking suggests that he could successfully step up in class next out.
Then one race later in a non-winners of $5,000 last five starts class for trotters, Tough Get Going (Matt Kakaley) overcame a three-week rest to score as the 4-1 third choice in 2:31.1 for the added distance. A four-year-old Kadabra gelding trained by Richard Banca, Tough Get Going emerged from numerous outings in the amateur driving series to notch his fourth win from 32 starts this year and now owns eight wins and $110,000 banked from 63 lifetime tries.
Then one race later in the Sunday finale, Gruden (Yannick Gingras) easily lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite in a non-winners of eight races or $80,000 lifetime class when he held safe 2-1 second choice Evelyn (Andy Miller) to score in 2:28.3. Named for one of the Gruden brothers with NFL ties, Gruden notched his second straight score and fourth win in his last five tries and ended the season with a 9-4-2 slate and $70,000 banked from 17 starts. The four-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding trained by Rene Allard now owns 13 wins and earnings of nearly $85,000 from 21 career tries.
That same evening at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland, Bella's Punkett (Allan Davis) continued her formful end to the campaign when she overcame a first over bid to score in 1:57.3 as the 3-1 third choice in a non-winners of $4,000 last five starts class for trotters. A five-year-old Super Punk mare owned and trained by Jay Baxter, Bella's Punkett recorded her third win in last four starts and owns a 4-1-2 slate and $15,000 banked from 20 starts this year. She now owns a 9-7-7 slate and $66,500 bankroll from 62 career tries including a handy score in the "Powder Puff Derby" earlier this summer at Ocean Downs.
ADVERTISEMENT
