Yonkers: Courtly Choice dominates in NYSS victory
Courtly Choice made his Yonkers Raceway debut Tuesday night (Aug. 28th), toying with his foes in the $173,500 New York Sire Stakes Armand Palatucci Pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
The 1-20 favorite ($2.10), in rein to Dave Miller, was a two-move, 6-1/2 length winner in the first $86,750 division. Away third from post position No. 6, he dusted early (27, 56 1/5; 1:23 3/5) leader Rockapelo (Jason Bartlett) right after the three-quarters, opened a coupled of lengths into the lane, then widened as he pleased.
Cheese Melt (George Brennan) won the scrum for second at 78-1, with Rockapelo holding third and Ostro Hanover (Brian Sears) fourth.
For Meadowlands Pace champ Courtly Choice, the son of Art Major has won nine of his dozen seasonal starts ($655,393) for co-owners (as part of Mac and Heim Stables)/trainer Blake Macintosh, Daniel Plouffe, Hutt Racing and Touch Stone Farms.
The exacta paid $56, the triple paid $183 and the superfecta paid $772.
“He’s a lot of fun,” Miller said.
After this rare sire stakes appearance, Macintosh said Courtly Choice is Ohio-bound for both the Jug Preview and Little Brown Jug.
Tuesday night’s second (also $86,750) and final grouping saw Ghost Dance (Scott Zeron, $12) prevail from first-over.
Away fourth from post No. 3, Ghost Dancer hooked last season’s statebred champ Jersey Jim (Jordan Stratton), after that one’s intervals of 27 1/5, 56 3/5 and 1:25 2/5. ‘Jim,’ the even-money favorite here, owned a length lead off the final turn but tired. Ghost Dancer whipped the rival on his back, Twin B Tuffenuff (Brennan), by a half-length in 1:54 1/5.
Jersey Jim salvaged the bottom of the ticket, with Keystone Tenacious (Jim Marohn Jr.) fourth.
For third choice Ghost Dance, a Millar Farms homebred American Ideal colt trained by Rick Zeron, he’s now 3-for-11 this season. The exacta paid $165.50, the triple paid $435.50 and the superfecta paid $1,495.
“I couldn’t hold him the last time he was here (late July),” Zeron said. “Tonight, he was much more manageable and when I asked him in the last turn, he went.”
New York Sire Stakes return here Thursday, Sept. 6, with the Mike Cohen Pace (3-year-old fillies, purse TBA).