Yonkers: First round of NYSS now in the books
New York Sire Stakes season began Tuesday night (May 7th), with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $163,499 Joe Goldstein Trot for 3-year-old fillies.
The lasses went as three divisions, two six-horse fields--purses $54,833 each—and a five-horse event at $1,000 less.
The opening quintet saw Hanna Dreamgirl (Brian Sears, $13) waltz around the oval (29 3/5, 1:00 1/5, 1:29 3/5, 1:59) as the only leaver. From post position No. 3, she never had any grief, disposing of first-up 2-5 choice Stella Jane (Jason Bartlett), then holding pocket-sitting Sweet Chapter (Dave Miller) at bay. The final margin was three-quarters of a length, with Stella Jane settling for the bottom of the ticket.
For third choice Hanna Dreamgirl, a daughter of Chapter Seven owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by George Ducharme, it was her seasonal debut (2-for-15, $115,204 as 2-year-old). The exacta paid $29.20, with neither triple nor superfecta wagering offered.
The first of two happy half-dozen sire stakes events was won by With Out A Doubt (Andy Miller, $10.20). Making the first lead from post No 5, she gave it up to Sensibility (Scott Zeron). That lass worked through intervals of 28 2/5, 58 3/5 and 1:27, with minimal annoyance from Thanks For Leaving (Jordan Stratton) and even less from 17-10 favorite Conway Kellyanne (Charlie Norris).
Sensibility owned a length-and-a-quarter lead into the lane, but With Out A Doubt edged by with purpose. She drew out, winning by a length-and-three-quarters in a life-best 1:56 2/5 . . . by far the night’s fastest effort. Sensibility was a safe second, with ‘Kellyanne’ and Thanks For Leaving completing the gimmicks.
For fourth choice Without A Doubt, a daughter of Conway Hall co-owned by (breeder) Ross Bonafield, Robert McCarthy & James Moran and trained by Erv Miller, it was also her ’19 purse bow (1-for-9, $51,536 as 2-year-old). The exacta paid $27, the triple returned $107 and the superfecta paid $199.50.
“She’s quick off the car and very handy,” Andy Miller said.
The rain began to fall before the final statebred event, reclassifying the track as ‘sloppy’.
Defending sire stakes champion Winndevie (Trond Smedshammer, $4.60) prevailled—barely—snapping the nearly 39-1 rank outsider Pilgrim Lass (Mike Simons) by a head in 1:59 1/5.
‘Pilgrim,’ one of three that didn’t jump it off early, led the remaining trio (30 3/5, 1:01 1/5, 1:30 2/5). Winndevie, pocketed from post No. 5, took out early but found the leader quite stubborn. Winndevie did get past very late, with Amal Hall (Andy Miller) third.
Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.), the 7-10 choice, did beat the other breakers.
For second choice Winndevie, a Credit Winner miss trained by her driver for owner Purple Haze Stables, she began her sophomore season after going 6-for-7 ($227,878) as a frosh. The exacta paid $102, the triple returned $286 and the superfecta paid $771.
New York Sire Stakes returns downstate Tuesday night (May 14th), with the Art Watson Pace for 3-year-old fillies.
Total purses for the 2019 New York-bred program are estimated at $14 million. For more information, please visit www.nysirestakes.com.
-edited release (Frank Drucker for Yonkers)