Yonkers: Freshmen fillies overcome sloppy conditions in NYSS
Yonkers Raceway Thursday evening (July 11th) hosted the soggy $153,900 New York Sire Stakes Clyde Hirt Pace for 2-year-old fillies.
Four races comprised the event.
The opening ($37,950) division saw a pole-pocketed The Fun Marshall (Scott Zeron, $11) pick off 3-10 favorite Fashion Hill (Tyler Buter) by a head in a maiden-breaking 1:55 4/5. That latter led at every interval (28, 57 2/5, 1:27), save for the last one. Hen Party (Yannick Gingras) was a best-of-the-rest third.
For second choice The Fun Marshall, a daughter of So Surreal co-owned by (trainer) Richie Silverman, Mary Kinsey Arnold, Edward McEnery & Michael Gluckman, it was that first win in three seasonal/career starts. The exacta paid $19, with triple and superfecta wagering cancelled due to a short (five-horse) field.
”She beat a nice horse,” Zeron said. “She needed a trip to do it, but she’s a handy filly.”
The next/final divisions went consecutively, each at $38,650.
Merga Hanover (Gingras, $5.70)—from post position No. 2—retook from Racine Bell (Jason Bartlett), then held that one at bay by a length (29, 58 4/5, 1:27 4/5, 1:56 2/5).
So Rude (Brian Sears) was a first-up third as the 7-5 choice, while Roll with Angel (Zeron) was fourth.
For second choice Merga Hanover, an American Ideal miss trained by Ron Burke for co-owner Thomas & Scott Dillon, Joe Sbrocco and W J Donovan, it was her second win in as many season/life tries. The exacta paid $51, the triple returned $125.50 and the superfecta paid $889.
“She didn’t do anything fancy, but she did get around the track very well,” Gingras said. "I think she could be a Grand Circuit filly.”
The third sire stakes event was a tour de slop for Galleria Gal (Buter, $8.80).
Vaulting past her six inside rivals at the outset, she was never a loser here (29 1/5, 59, 1:27 2/5, 1:55 4/5). The final margin was 4 1/2 lengths.
Rare Jimstone (Bartlett) was a loose pocket second, with 13-10 fave Coconut Beach (Marcus Miller) a non-threatening third.
For second choice Galleria Gal, a daughter of Art Major co-owned by Theresa Donnelly & Fernando Amesti and trained by John Berger, it was her first win in three season/life tries. The exacta paid $25.20, with the triple returning $81.50 (superfecta not offered-start of Pick 5).
The statebred finale had Cash Roll (Zeron, $3.40) have to work for the lead, but few issues thereafter.
From post No. 7, she was too tough (28 3/5, 58 4/5, 1:27 3/5, life-best 1:56), widening to whip first leader Jackie’s Express (George Brennan) by 4 1/4 lengths. Third went to Turnthefrownaround (Dexter Dunn), with Hidden Cove (Miller) fourth.
For Cash Roll, a Roll with Joe ma’am trained by Richard Ringler for owner Louis Palumbo, she’s started out 3-for-3. The exacta paid $36.20, the triple returned $133.50 and the superfecta paid $349.50.
New York Sire Stakes returns downstate Tuesday night (July 16th), with the $156,600 Hugh Grant Trot for 2-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