Yonkers: Posts drawn for $300,000 Art Rooney Pace

Post positions have been drawn for a pair of Yonkers Raceway’s premier stakes for the 3-year-old pacers.

Saturday’s 26th edition of the Art Rooney Pace, worth $300,000, features two colts and six geldings. The gods of the open draw did no favors for Missile J. The winner of last week’s lone $40,000 elimination race (1:53 2/5) landed behind the always-welcome eight-ball for the finale.

Brian Sears drives for trainer Linda Toscano.

The American Ideal gelding, co-owned by Ken Jacobs’ KJ Stables and Purple Haze Stables, is again paired in the wagering with the Purple Haze wholly-owned Artmagic (George Brennan, post 1). The Art Major gelding, trained by Trond Smedshammer, was third in last week’s elim.

Rodeo Rock (Dan Dube, post 2), a pocket second a week ago, landed post position No. 2 for the finale. Don Swick trains the gelded son of Rock N Roll Heaven, who was second in last season’s Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace here.

The remainder of the field is as such (in post position order): 3-No Shame Blue Chip (Tyler Buter), 4-Yankee Artillery (Jordan Stratton), 5-Tailgunner Hanover (Ray Schnittker), 6-Tap into Power (Jason Bartlett), 7-Manny (Brent Holland).

The companion event, the $100,000 Lismore, attracted just six fillies, who all went directly to the final.

The draw for the 12th Lismore: 1-Cut and Paste (Sears), 2-Kryptos (Sears also listed), 3-Apple Bottom Jeans (Montrell Teague), 4-Dime a Dance (Brennan), 5-Rock Me Baby (John Campbell), 6-Soft Idea (Bartlett).

The Rooney goes as the sixth race (approximate post 8:50 PM), with the Lismore listed as the fourth race (approx. 8:10 PM). Post time for the dozen-race card is 7:10 PM.

-edited release (Frank Drucker)