Yonkers: Posts drawn for Messenger, Yonkers Trot Finals
Faced with a scenario for which there was no rule in place, Saturday night’s $500,000 final (Sept. 2nd) of Yonkers Raceway’s 63rd Yonkers Trot shall go postward with a field of nine 3-year-olds.
The odd circumstance came about after Di Oggi and Southwind Hydro finished in a dead-heat for fourth in the second of last weekend’s two elimination races. Since the first four trotters in each earn berths into the final and Yonkers Trot conditions did not allow for ‘heaters’ to determine finalists, Raceway management decided to permit both horses into the race.
(Author’s aside: Provisions for such future instances shall be addressed when the race conditions are amended to separate ‘by lot’ when necessary.)
That said, elimination (purse $40,000 each) winners Guardian Angel AS (Jason Bartlett) and Yes Mickey (Ake Svanstedt) drew post position Nos. 4 and 6, respectively. The Trot, second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, goes as the fifth race (approx. post time 8:35 PM).
The draw, with each horse racing independently, is as such:
1-Devious Man (Andy Miller), 2-Di Oggi (Montrell Teague), 3-Southwind Cobra (Matt Kakaley), 4-Guardian Angel AS (Jason Bartlett), 5-Southwind Hydro (Marcus Johansson), 6-Yes Mickey (lone gelding, Ake Svanstedt), 7-Money Macintosh (Jordan Stratton), 8-Another Chapter (Dan Dube), 9-Top Flight Angel (Brian Sears, second tier).
The 62nd Messenger (race No. 4, approx. post 8:15 PM) had no such “sponsor’s exception” issues after Art Rooney Pace winner Downbytheseaside matched the fastest local pacing mile of the season (1:51). He won last Saturday’s (Aug. 26th) lone $40,000 elim by 8-1/2 unasked lengths.
Downbytheseaside does, however, have to negotiate post No. 7 in this Saturday night’s half-million-dollar second jewel of the Pacing Crown, also for 3-year-olds.
That eight-on-the-gate draw played out this way: 1-Mac’s Jackpot (g) (Bartlett), 2-Summer Side (Tim Tetrick), 3-Miso Fast (Kakaley), 4-Art Scene (Stratton), 5-Funknwaffles (g) (Corey Callahan), 6-Blood Line (Mark MacDonald), 7-Downbytheseaside (Sears), 8--Henry the Dragon (Teague). As with the Trot, all entrants race uncoupled.
The ladies’ companion events, for soph lasses, are the one-dash-for-the-cash $119,010 Hudson Filly Trot and $113,880 Lady Maud Pace
The Hudson goes as the third race (approx. post 7:55 PM): 1-Dangle Then Deke (Eric Goodell), 2-Chapter Too (Jeff Gregory), 3-Lexie Marie (George Brennan), 4-Celebrity Ruth (Bartlett), 5-Mamora Bay (Sam Schillaci), 6-Sunshine Delight (Brettt Miller), 7-Evelyn (Andy Miller), 8-Ice Attraction (Svanstedt).
The Lady Maud wraps the stakes portion as the sixth race (approx. post 8:55 PM): 1-Angel’s Pride (Kakaley), 2-Tori Hanover (MacDonald), 3-Awash (Stratton), 4-Gurl Band K (Yannick Gingras),6- Ella Christina (Tetrick), 6-Robin J (Bartlett), 7-World Apart (Bartlett also listed).
Program changes shall be made Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 29th). Post time for the dozen-race card is the usual 7:10 PM.
-edited release (Frank Drucker for Yonkers Raceway)