Yonkers and Mohawk offer stellar cards on Labor Day weekend
While many Americans were headed to the beaches for the final, unofficial weekend of summer to savor Labor Day, harness racing enthusiasts turned their attention to a pair of ovals on Saturday night that offered several lucrative stakes on the last day of August.
At Yonkers Raceway in New York, the famed half-mile oval hosted a quartet of lucrative stakes in addition to several quality overnight races for older pacers.
Just prior to the midway portion of the card at Yonkers, Golden Tricks (Andy Miller) benefited from a pocket trip and several breaking rivals to overhaul favored Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill, Jr.) to score by a head in 1:56 in the $125,000 Hudson Filly Trot for three-year-old filly trotters. The sophomore daughter of Trixton trained by Ake Svandstedt notched her fourth win in 10 starts this year and doubled her seasonal earnings past $120,000.
Then one race later in the $120,000 Lady Maud Stakes for three-year-old filly pacers, Trillions Hanover (George Brennan) lived up to her role as the 2-5 favorite when she overcame a long, first over trip to draw clear in the lane to a two-length score in 1:53.1. A three-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Tom Fanning, Trillions Hanover notched her third win in 12 starts this year now sports a 7-4-2 slate and nearly $200,000 banked from 19 lifetime tries.
One race later in the Grade I, $500,000 Yonkers Trot for three-year-old trotting colts, Gimpanzee (Brian Sears) easily lived up to his role as the 1-5 favorite when he gained command in a 28 opener, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 56.4 and by three-quarters in 1:25 then romped home five lengths clear in 1:53.3. A sophomore son of Chapter Seven trained by Marcus Melander, Gimpanzee recorded his fifth win in seven starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $550,000.
Gimpanzee has won two straight since suffering the only two defeats of his career in the Hambletonian elim and final and avenged one of those setbacks on Saturday night. Hambo hero Forbidden Trade (Bob McClure) rallied mildly first over to finish second in a decent effort for trainer Luc Blais, while Soul Strong (Dexter Dunn) overcame an early gallop to rally for the show spot.
Then one race later in the Grade I, $500,000 Messenger Stakes for three-year-old colt pacers, American Mercury (Tyler Buter) left to drop in the pocket behind 1-9 choice Bettor's Wish (Dexter Dunn), sat a loose pocket to the half in 55.3, stayed in down the backside and through the far turn, angled out briefly then went back in and surged past the favorite in the lane for a head score in 1:51.3.
A sophomore son of American Ideal trained by Chris Oakes, American Mercury notched his seventh win in 10 starts this year and now sports over $270,000 banked. Bettor's Wish was game in defeat, but he was unable to protect the pylons in the lane and now owns an 8-4-0 slate and nearly $1 million banked. Bettor's Wish has been a bridesmaid in numerous lucrative stakes finals and continued that trend again in the Messenger.
One race later in the $46,000 Open Handicap for older pacers, Mac's Jackpot (Brent Holland) as the 3-5 choice when he gained command in a dull 28 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.4, raced unpressed by three-quarters in 1:24 then held safe I'm Some Graduate (George Brennan) and Bennhope Rulz (Dunn) to score in 1:52.2. A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Jeff Smith, Mac's Jackpot now owns a 6-2-1 slate and $158,000 banked from 19 starts this year and could earn an invite to the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial on Sep. 16.
Then one race later in the $37,000 Preferred, Micky Gee N (Eric Goodell) lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite when he overcame a difficult, three-wide journey past the half, joined Mach It So (Holland) first over by three-quarters then overhauled that one in the lane for a two-length score in 1:51.4. A six-year-old Bettors Delight gelding trained by Lance Hudson, Micky Gee N notched his eighth win in 20 starts this year and merits an invite to the Quillen in two weeks.
Just prior to the midway point of the Mohawk card, Guardian Angel As (Tim Tetrick) benefited from a quick early brush to command then shook loose from Crystal Fashion (David Miller) and just outlasted the late surge of Atlanta (Yannick Gingras) to capture the $600,000 Maple Leaf Trot by a neck in 1:50.4. A five-year-old Archangel stallion trained by Annette Lorentzon, Guardian Angel As recorded his seventh win in 10 starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to nearly $700,000 and edged Atlanta, while Marion Marauder rallied late for the show money.
Several races later on the card, Courtly Choice (James MacDonald) rallied from well off the pace to forge a 34-1 shocker in the $525,000 Canadian Pacing Derby final by overtaking 2-5 choice Lather Up (Montrell Teague) in the lane in 1:48.4. A Maryland-bred son of Art Major trained by Blake Macintosh, Courtly Choice notched his fourth win from 12 starts this year and tripled his earnings to $400,000 this year and pushed his career
Well before the serious action for older pacers and trotters got under way at Mohawk, the Canadian seven-eighths mile oval hosted a trio of $73,000 Ontario Sire Stakes events for two-year-old colt pacers.
In the second race on the card on Saturday, Tattoo Artist (Sylvain Filion) benefited from a pocket trip behind 6-5 favorite Examiner Hanover (Doug McNair) through the first three calls, slipped through along the pylons at the head of the lane then outkicked the second over Velocity Hanover (Randy Waples) and first over My Land (Phil Hudon) to score by a neck in 1:52 for his third win in four career tries for trainer Dr. Ian Moore.
One race later at Mohawk, Tall Dark Stranger (Yannick Gingras) kept his perfect record in tact when he raced parked to gain command past the opener in 26.1, got a breather by the half in 55.4, rolled by three-quarters in 1:23.4 then sprinted clear from Aneto (Louis Roy) to a four-length score in 1:51.1. A juvenile son of Bettor's Delight trained by Nancy Johannsson, Tall Dark Stranger has won all four of his starts and earned over $100,000 and looms a budding star on the ONSS circuit.
That same evening at Pocono Downs, Highalator (Richard Still) benefited from a pocket trip behind 3-2 favorite Backstreet Shadow (Matt Kakaley) through serious fractions of 26.1, 54 and 1:21.1 then overhauled that one in the lane to score in 1:48.2 in a $30,000 Great Northeast Open Series leg. A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere stallion trained by Jenny Bier, Highalator has won 11 of 23 starts and earned just over $260,000 and looms one of the favorites for the $150,000 Great Northeast Open final and will likely bypass the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway and point for the $100,000 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Sunday, November 10.
At Yonkers Raceway in New York, the famed half-mile oval hosted a quartet of lucrative stakes in addition to several quality overnight races for older pacers.
Just prior to the midway portion of the card at Yonkers, Golden Tricks (Andy Miller) benefited from a pocket trip and several breaking rivals to overhaul favored Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill, Jr.) to score by a head in 1:56 in the $125,000 Hudson Filly Trot for three-year-old filly trotters. The sophomore daughter of Trixton trained by Ake Svandstedt notched her fourth win in 10 starts this year and doubled her seasonal earnings past $120,000.
Then one race later in the $120,000 Lady Maud Stakes for three-year-old filly pacers, Trillions Hanover (George Brennan) lived up to her role as the 2-5 favorite when she overcame a long, first over trip to draw clear in the lane to a two-length score in 1:53.1. A three-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Tom Fanning, Trillions Hanover notched her third win in 12 starts this year now sports a 7-4-2 slate and nearly $200,000 banked from 19 lifetime tries.
One race later in the Grade I, $500,000 Yonkers Trot for three-year-old trotting colts, Gimpanzee (Brian Sears) easily lived up to his role as the 1-5 favorite when he gained command in a 28 opener, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 56.4 and by three-quarters in 1:25 then romped home five lengths clear in 1:53.3. A sophomore son of Chapter Seven trained by Marcus Melander, Gimpanzee recorded his fifth win in seven starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $550,000.
Gimpanzee has won two straight since suffering the only two defeats of his career in the Hambletonian elim and final and avenged one of those setbacks on Saturday night. Hambo hero Forbidden Trade (Bob McClure) rallied mildly first over to finish second in a decent effort for trainer Luc Blais, while Soul Strong (Dexter Dunn) overcame an early gallop to rally for the show spot.
Then one race later in the Grade I, $500,000 Messenger Stakes for three-year-old colt pacers, American Mercury (Tyler Buter) left to drop in the pocket behind 1-9 choice Bettor's Wish (Dexter Dunn), sat a loose pocket to the half in 55.3, stayed in down the backside and through the far turn, angled out briefly then went back in and surged past the favorite in the lane for a head score in 1:51.3.
A sophomore son of American Ideal trained by Chris Oakes, American Mercury notched his seventh win in 10 starts this year and now sports over $270,000 banked. Bettor's Wish was game in defeat, but he was unable to protect the pylons in the lane and now owns an 8-4-0 slate and nearly $1 million banked. Bettor's Wish has been a bridesmaid in numerous lucrative stakes finals and continued that trend again in the Messenger.
One race later in the $46,000 Open Handicap for older pacers, Mac's Jackpot (Brent Holland) as the 3-5 choice when he gained command in a dull 28 opener, got a breather by the half in 56.4, raced unpressed by three-quarters in 1:24 then held safe I'm Some Graduate (George Brennan) and Bennhope Rulz (Dunn) to score in 1:52.2. A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Jeff Smith, Mac's Jackpot now owns a 6-2-1 slate and $158,000 banked from 19 starts this year and could earn an invite to the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial on Sep. 16.
Then one race later in the $37,000 Preferred, Micky Gee N (Eric Goodell) lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite when he overcame a difficult, three-wide journey past the half, joined Mach It So (Holland) first over by three-quarters then overhauled that one in the lane for a two-length score in 1:51.4. A six-year-old Bettors Delight gelding trained by Lance Hudson, Micky Gee N notched his eighth win in 20 starts this year and merits an invite to the Quillen in two weeks.
Just prior to the midway point of the Mohawk card, Guardian Angel As (Tim Tetrick) benefited from a quick early brush to command then shook loose from Crystal Fashion (David Miller) and just outlasted the late surge of Atlanta (Yannick Gingras) to capture the $600,000 Maple Leaf Trot by a neck in 1:50.4. A five-year-old Archangel stallion trained by Annette Lorentzon, Guardian Angel As recorded his seventh win in 10 starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to nearly $700,000 and edged Atlanta, while Marion Marauder rallied late for the show money.
Several races later on the card, Courtly Choice (James MacDonald) rallied from well off the pace to forge a 34-1 shocker in the $525,000 Canadian Pacing Derby final by overtaking 2-5 choice Lather Up (Montrell Teague) in the lane in 1:48.4. A Maryland-bred son of Art Major trained by Blake Macintosh, Courtly Choice notched his fourth win from 12 starts this year and tripled his earnings to $400,000 this year and pushed his career
Well before the serious action for older pacers and trotters got under way at Mohawk, the Canadian seven-eighths mile oval hosted a trio of $73,000 Ontario Sire Stakes events for two-year-old colt pacers.
In the second race on the card on Saturday, Tattoo Artist (Sylvain Filion) benefited from a pocket trip behind 6-5 favorite Examiner Hanover (Doug McNair) through the first three calls, slipped through along the pylons at the head of the lane then outkicked the second over Velocity Hanover (Randy Waples) and first over My Land (Phil Hudon) to score by a neck in 1:52 for his third win in four career tries for trainer Dr. Ian Moore.
One race later at Mohawk, Tall Dark Stranger (Yannick Gingras) kept his perfect record in tact when he raced parked to gain command past the opener in 26.1, got a breather by the half in 55.4, rolled by three-quarters in 1:23.4 then sprinted clear from Aneto (Louis Roy) to a four-length score in 1:51.1. A juvenile son of Bettor's Delight trained by Nancy Johannsson, Tall Dark Stranger has won all four of his starts and earned over $100,000 and looms a budding star on the ONSS circuit.
That same evening at Pocono Downs, Highalator (Richard Still) benefited from a pocket trip behind 3-2 favorite Backstreet Shadow (Matt Kakaley) through serious fractions of 26.1, 54 and 1:21.1 then overhauled that one in the lane to score in 1:48.2 in a $30,000 Great Northeast Open Series leg. A five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere stallion trained by Jenny Bier, Highalator has won 11 of 23 starts and earned just over $260,000 and looms one of the favorites for the $150,000 Great Northeast Open final and will likely bypass the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial at Harrington Raceway and point for the $100,000 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Sunday, November 10.
ADVERTISEMENT
