Maryanorginger may await Adirondack

ELMONT, N.Y. – Maryanorginger, who overcame a stumbling start and early trouble to win Thursday’s $150,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in her career debut, likely won’t make her next start until the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on Aug. 4 at Saratoga, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said Friday.

Englehart said he thought the filly looked a little light to him in the paddock and he wants to give her plenty of time to get over the race.

“I’ll probably want to wait a little bit longer than [July 11] to run her,” said Englehart, referring to the Schuylerville at Saratoga.

Englehart said he has another horse that he may run in the Schuylerville. Good Shabbos, who like Maryanorginger is owned by Al Gold, lost a June 1 maiden race by a nose at Monmouth.

“She ran a winning race, got beat a nose. I probably wouldn’t mind running her in the Schuylerville,” he said. “I’m not 100 percent sure. We’ll see how it plays out.”

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Rowayton possible for Dwyer

Jerry Hollendorfer got his New York summer off to a rousing start as Rowayton, a promising 3-year-old, won a first-level allowance race Thursday at Belmont.

Rowayton, who finished third to Game Winner in the Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita last fall, rallied inside of favored Payne in the stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths. He ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.94 and earned a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure.

“We knew he had it in him, it was just a matter of getting it out of him,” said Don Chatlos, the assistant overseeing Hollendorfer’s New York string this summer. “We were impressed that he settled inside like that, took the dirt without fighting, and then he went through two holes actually – he had to get inside of [Missle Bomb] first and then inside of [Payne] late.”

Chatlos said he hasn’t spoken to either Hollendorfer or owner Larry Best on Friday morning, but mentioned the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer Stakes going a one-turn mile here on July 6 as a possible next start for Rowayton.

Lewandowski retiring as commission steward

Steven Lewandowski, who has served as the New York State Gaming Commission steward at NYRA tracks for the last 5 1/2 years, will retire from that position with the conclusion of the Saturday’s Belmont Stakes card.

Lewandowski has who worked for the Gaming Commission and its previous incarnation, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, since 1986. He was an alternate steward for 14 years while working in the commission on-track office. He was scheduled to leave at the end of the meet but expedited his departure, though he wouldn’t say why.

According to Lewandowski, the commission steward position for the remainder of the Belmont meet will be split between Erinn Higgins and Stu Rainey, who also work at Finger Lakes.

Carmine Donofrio, whose position Lewandowski filled in 2014, will be back in the stand during the Saratoga meet. He will alternate with Higgins, according to Lewandowski.