Yonkers: Berkery J, Chaptiama take NYSS divisions on Tuesday
Yonkers Raceway Tuesday night (Sept. 3) offered the $150,400 New York Sire Stakes Lew Barasch Trot for 2-year-old colts and geldings.
Tuesday’s event once again honored the memory of ‘Tootie,’ whose unmatched PR savvy in the golden age of the game helped make the nascent Roosevelt International Trot a happening.
There were two divisions, including one off the card.
Berkery J (Dave Miller), from the outside post position No. 5, sat pocketed to Barn Holden (Andy Miller) in the $74,500 non-bettor.
Barn Holden led through intervals of 29, 59 2/5 and 1:28 3/5, taking a length-and-a-quarter lead into the lane.
He couldn’t stall his stalker, as Berkery J went right by, widening to a length-and-a-half in a life-best 1:57 3/5. Sky Castles (Charlie Norris) was a best-of-the-rest third, beating a pair of breakers.
For Berkery J, a son of Chapter Seven owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by George Ducharme, it was his third win in eight seasonal starts.
“He was a lot of fun,” Dave Miller said. “He did it on his own.”
The $75,900 wagering division wound up quite formful as odds-on Chaptiama (Trond Smedshammer, $3.20) made the pole work for him (29 2/5, 59 4/5, 1:29 1/5, 1:57).
Bourbon Express (Jason Bartlett) chased the winner around the oval, beaten a length-and-a-quarter. Hobbs (Greg Merton) and Altus Hanover (Mike Simons) rounded out the gimmick finishers.
For Chaptiama, a homebred Chapter Seven gelding trained by his driver for owner Purple Haze Stables, it was his second (consecutive) win in seven ’19 tries. The exacta paid $6, the triple (three wagering favorites in order) paid $11 and the superfecta paid $49.
“We train him with shoes, then take them of when he races, except for Monticello,” Smedshammer said. “He’s the shoeless wonder.”
New York Sire Stakes wrap for the downstate season Thursday night (Sept. 5th), with the $161,500 Mike Cipriani Trot for 3-year-old fillies.
-edited release (Frank Drucker for Yonkers)