Yonkers: Sophomore trotting colts meet up in New York Sire Stakes

Two New York Sire Stakes events for 3-year-old colt trotters were featured on Saturday night's card at Yonkers Raceway, with Seven And Seven and Guardian Angel As taking top honors.

Seven And Seven (George Brennan), who had never raced on a half-mile track before tonight's first $85,250 division, had no problem negotiating the four turns, winning in 1:55. Brennan had the 7-5 second choice up to get the lead from Eye Ofa Tiger As (Jason Bartlett) past the 28 1/5 opening quarter, and then Seven And Seven would go on to hit the half in 57 2/5, with Yonkers Trot champion Top Flight Angel (Andy Miller) beginning a first-up move out of third on turn three.

Top Flight Angel could only get to within a length and a half of Seven And Seven at the 1:26 three-quarters, and Seven And Seven widened his margin in the final quarter, scoring by 2 1/2 lengths over Top Flight Angel. Eye Ofa Tiger As would hold third.

“I didn’t know anything about him and drove him accordingly,” Brennan said. ”I did know that (trainer) Tom Durand would send them here with purpose.”

Durand also co-owns Seven And Seven, a Chapter Seven colt, with his wife June Durand and their ownership partner Allan Smith. Last year's William Wellwood Memorial winner, Seven And Seven scored his sixth career victory, and he has now earned $266,672. He paid $4.90 to win.

“We made a decision before the season to race him in Grand Circuit events,” Durand said. “We didn’t have much luck with that, so we tried him in the final sire stakes of the season. Maybe he can make the final.”

The other $86,750 section saw 19-1 Zack's Zoomer (Miller) post fractions of 28, 57 2/5, and 1:26 3/5, but first-over Swell Chap (Brian Sears), riding a two-race win streak, took over from first-up as the field entered the final turn. Guardian Angel As (Bartlett) had been following Swell Chap from second-over, but he didn't lose interest after he lost his cover, gaining around the rim on last bend and then getting up in the final strides to down Swell Chap by a head in 1:56. Icanflylikeanangel (Jordan Stratton) came in third.

Guardian Angel As is an Archangel colt trained by Anette Lorentzon for co-owner/breeder ACL Stuteri AB and co-owner Kjell Johansson. He now has a record of 9-4-0 from 20 lifetime tries, and he has now banked $212,721. He was dispatched as the even-money favorite, and he returned $4.00 to win.

--quotes courtesy of Yonkers Raceway--