Yonkers and Meadowlands hosts solid Saturday night cards
While much of the northeast and Mid-Atlantic region was spared the premature winter storm that made its presence known throughout the midwest before trekking east, Yonkers and the Meadowlands both hosted solid programs that were filled with overnight races.
In one of the earlier races on the Saturday evening at Yonkers, Quick Asa Trick N (Jason Bartlett) overcame a first over trip down the backside and through the far turn and wore down even-money choice Run Oneover N (George Brennan) in the lane to score in 1:53.2 in the first non-winners of $20,000 last five starts division. An eight-year-old Lis Mara gelding trained by Michael Marx, Jr., Quick Asa Trick ended a six-race skid and notched his fifth win in 32 starts this year and recorded his 20th lifetime victory and pushed his career earnings toward $300,000 and he remains eligible to this class for next Saturday's finale.
One race later in another non-winners of $20,000 last five starts class for pacers, Texican N (Jordan Stratton) benefited from a second over journey behind longshot Highview Conall N (Brent Holland) down the backside, angled three-wide turning for home and wore down 4-5 choice Mr D's Dragon (Brennan) in the lane and then outlasted the late surge of 19-1 Ideal Tyson A (Bartlett) to score in 1:55.1. It was the first win in nine starts this year for the 10-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Peter Tritton of Bit Of A Legend N fame.
Then one race later in the third non-winners of $20,000 last five starts class for pacers, Bettors Fire N (Ron Cushing) lived up to his billing as the 7-5 favorite in his local debut when he gained command from post six before a 27.1 opener, got a breather to the half in 57.3, met token pressure from Oh Johnny B Good (Austin Siegelman) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:26, gradually shook loose from that one then held safe the pocket-sitting Cooperstown (Bartlett) late to score in 1:53.4.
A 10-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Heidi Gibbs, Bettors Fire N has now won all five of starts in the United States since arriving from down under this fall and now sports 12 wins and $145,000 banked from 25 starts this year. A winner of his previous two outings at Plain Ridge, Bettors Fire N boasts 45 wins and over $700,000 banked from 111 career tries. He made an immediate impression on anyone familiar with the toughness of the overnight horses in conditioned levels on Saturday night.
Then one race later in the featured $44,000 Open Handicap, Weona Sizzler A (Stratton) lived up to his billing as the 2-5 favorite when he left and raced parked between horses to secure good position as Gokudo Hanover (Daniel Dube) gained command before a 27.1 opener, sat a loose pocket to the half in 56 flat and down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:24, gradually angled out of the pocket at the head of the lane and overhauled the leader almost effortlessly to score in 1:52.1.
A five-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Rob Harmon, Weona Sizzler A notched his third straight victory while successfully climbing the class ladder and now owns eight wins and nearly $100,000 banked from 18 starts this year. Weona Sizzler A has now won five of his last six starts over the strip for Harmon and continues to improve with each start and should be a major player next weekend in the finale and might start getting serious consideration for the George Morton Levy Memorial Series next spring.
One race later in the first of two non-winners of $30,000 last five starts class events for pacers, Caviart Luca (Brennan) easily lived up to his billing as the 4-5 choice from the rail when he gained command in a modest 28.1 opener, got a breather by the half in 57.3, raced unpressed down the backside and drew clear in the lane to score by three lengths in 1:53.1. A seven-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Ron Burke, Caviart Luca notched his second straight score and now sports a 7-7-4 slate and banked $186,000 from 30 starts this year.
Then one race later in the $35,000 3-4-Year-Old Open Handicap, Air Strike (Brent Holland) lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite when he raced parked to gain command from Aston Blue Chip (Tyler Buter) before the opener in 27.3, got a breather by the half in 57.2, met token pressure from Sir Puggsley (Brennan) down the backside, shook loose from that one and drew clear in the lane to a three-length score in 1:53.1.
A four-year-old Always A Virgin gelding trained by Erv Miller, Air Strike has won twice in is last three outings, five times in his last seven outings and boasts 12 wins and $140,000 banked from 34 seasonal tries. Air Strike has ample early speed and he has made the front in five of his last seven starts and fittingly won each of them. When he has been reserved off the pace, however, Air Strike has failed to find the winner's circle.
Two races later in the finale, Techtor Hanover (Tyler Buter) gained command soon after the start and led the way by the opener in 27.3, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 56.1, met serious pressure from Our Zak Whitby N (Bartlett) down the backside and through the far turn then held safe the late bid of The Real One (Jim Marohn, Jr.) in the lane to score by a head in 1:52.3. A six-year-old Well Said gelding trained by Donald Sider, Techtor Hanover now owns a 9-8-6 slate and banked nearly $210,000 from 28 starts this year.
That same evening at the Meadowlands, Wise Image (Micheal Merton) lived up to his role as the 6-5 favorite in the non-winners of three races or $45,000 lifetime class for younger pacers when he gained command in a 28-second opener, maintained an honest tempo to the half in 56.2 and by three-quarters in 1:24.4 then just outlasted the late bid of Play Jet Ray (Andrew McCarthy) to score in 1:52. It was the second straight win for the four-year-old Rockin Image gelding who now sports seven wins and $36,000 banked from 18 seasonal tries.
Then one race later in the featured non-winners of $15,000 last five starts or non-winners of $100,000 in 2018 class, K Ryan Bluechip (Brett Miller) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all to score in 1:50.1 as the 2-1 second choice. A six-year-old Art Major gelding trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr., K Ryan Bluechip notched his second straight score and sports a 7-4-7 slate and $76,000 banked from 31 starts this year and now owns a solid 30-16-12 slate and over $375,000 bankroll from 97 career outings.
One race later in a non-winners of $8,500 last five starts/optional $20,000 claiming event, Terror Of The Nite (Kyle Husted) forged a 12-1 upset when he overhauled 2-1 favorite Bushwacker (Dexter Dunn) in the lane to score by a length in 1:51. A seven-year-old Western Terror gelding trained and driven by Husted, Terror Of The Nite rebounded from two setbacks against tougher to notch his 10th win in 36 starts this year, pushed his seasonal earnings past $56,000 and lowered his lifetime mark in the process.
In one of the earlier races on the Saturday evening at Yonkers, Quick Asa Trick N (Jason Bartlett) overcame a first over trip down the backside and through the far turn and wore down even-money choice Run Oneover N (George Brennan) in the lane to score in 1:53.2 in the first non-winners of $20,000 last five starts division. An eight-year-old Lis Mara gelding trained by Michael Marx, Jr., Quick Asa Trick ended a six-race skid and notched his fifth win in 32 starts this year and recorded his 20th lifetime victory and pushed his career earnings toward $300,000 and he remains eligible to this class for next Saturday's finale.
One race later in another non-winners of $20,000 last five starts class for pacers, Texican N (Jordan Stratton) benefited from a second over journey behind longshot Highview Conall N (Brent Holland) down the backside, angled three-wide turning for home and wore down 4-5 choice Mr D's Dragon (Brennan) in the lane and then outlasted the late surge of 19-1 Ideal Tyson A (Bartlett) to score in 1:55.1. It was the first win in nine starts this year for the 10-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Peter Tritton of Bit Of A Legend N fame.
Then one race later in the third non-winners of $20,000 last five starts class for pacers, Bettors Fire N (Ron Cushing) lived up to his billing as the 7-5 favorite in his local debut when he gained command from post six before a 27.1 opener, got a breather to the half in 57.3, met token pressure from Oh Johnny B Good (Austin Siegelman) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:26, gradually shook loose from that one then held safe the pocket-sitting Cooperstown (Bartlett) late to score in 1:53.4.
A 10-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Heidi Gibbs, Bettors Fire N has now won all five of starts in the United States since arriving from down under this fall and now sports 12 wins and $145,000 banked from 25 starts this year. A winner of his previous two outings at Plain Ridge, Bettors Fire N boasts 45 wins and over $700,000 banked from 111 career tries. He made an immediate impression on anyone familiar with the toughness of the overnight horses in conditioned levels on Saturday night.
Then one race later in the featured $44,000 Open Handicap, Weona Sizzler A (Stratton) lived up to his billing as the 2-5 favorite when he left and raced parked between horses to secure good position as Gokudo Hanover (Daniel Dube) gained command before a 27.1 opener, sat a loose pocket to the half in 56 flat and down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:24, gradually angled out of the pocket at the head of the lane and overhauled the leader almost effortlessly to score in 1:52.1.
A five-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Rob Harmon, Weona Sizzler A notched his third straight victory while successfully climbing the class ladder and now owns eight wins and nearly $100,000 banked from 18 starts this year. Weona Sizzler A has now won five of his last six starts over the strip for Harmon and continues to improve with each start and should be a major player next weekend in the finale and might start getting serious consideration for the George Morton Levy Memorial Series next spring.
One race later in the first of two non-winners of $30,000 last five starts class events for pacers, Caviart Luca (Brennan) easily lived up to his billing as the 4-5 choice from the rail when he gained command in a modest 28.1 opener, got a breather by the half in 57.3, raced unpressed down the backside and drew clear in the lane to score by three lengths in 1:53.1. A seven-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Ron Burke, Caviart Luca notched his second straight score and now sports a 7-7-4 slate and banked $186,000 from 30 starts this year.
Then one race later in the $35,000 3-4-Year-Old Open Handicap, Air Strike (Brent Holland) lived up to his role as the 4-5 favorite when he raced parked to gain command from Aston Blue Chip (Tyler Buter) before the opener in 27.3, got a breather by the half in 57.2, met token pressure from Sir Puggsley (Brennan) down the backside, shook loose from that one and drew clear in the lane to a three-length score in 1:53.1.
A four-year-old Always A Virgin gelding trained by Erv Miller, Air Strike has won twice in is last three outings, five times in his last seven outings and boasts 12 wins and $140,000 banked from 34 seasonal tries. Air Strike has ample early speed and he has made the front in five of his last seven starts and fittingly won each of them. When he has been reserved off the pace, however, Air Strike has failed to find the winner's circle.
Two races later in the finale, Techtor Hanover (Tyler Buter) gained command soon after the start and led the way by the opener in 27.3, maintained an honest tempo by the half in 56.1, met serious pressure from Our Zak Whitby N (Bartlett) down the backside and through the far turn then held safe the late bid of The Real One (Jim Marohn, Jr.) in the lane to score by a head in 1:52.3. A six-year-old Well Said gelding trained by Donald Sider, Techtor Hanover now owns a 9-8-6 slate and banked nearly $210,000 from 28 starts this year.
That same evening at the Meadowlands, Wise Image (Micheal Merton) lived up to his role as the 6-5 favorite in the non-winners of three races or $45,000 lifetime class for younger pacers when he gained command in a 28-second opener, maintained an honest tempo to the half in 56.2 and by three-quarters in 1:24.4 then just outlasted the late bid of Play Jet Ray (Andrew McCarthy) to score in 1:52. It was the second straight win for the four-year-old Rockin Image gelding who now sports seven wins and $36,000 banked from 18 seasonal tries.
Then one race later in the featured non-winners of $15,000 last five starts or non-winners of $100,000 in 2018 class, K Ryan Bluechip (Brett Miller) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all to score in 1:50.1 as the 2-1 second choice. A six-year-old Art Major gelding trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr., K Ryan Bluechip notched his second straight score and sports a 7-4-7 slate and $76,000 banked from 31 starts this year and now owns a solid 30-16-12 slate and over $375,000 bankroll from 97 career outings.
One race later in a non-winners of $8,500 last five starts/optional $20,000 claiming event, Terror Of The Nite (Kyle Husted) forged a 12-1 upset when he overhauled 2-1 favorite Bushwacker (Dexter Dunn) in the lane to score by a length in 1:51. A seven-year-old Western Terror gelding trained and driven by Husted, Terror Of The Nite rebounded from two setbacks against tougher to notch his 10th win in 36 starts this year, pushed his seasonal earnings past $56,000 and lowered his lifetime mark in the process.
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