Yonkers: Sadbirdstillsing, R Melina take Monday's NY Sire Stakes races

The New York Sire Stakes season commenced on Monday night (May 20) at MGM Yonkers Raceway with two $84,000 divisions for 3-year-old filly trotters.

Sadbirdstillsing, who was second in the sire stakes final a year ago, won the first split in 1:58 4/5 for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna. Starting from the outside post six, McCarthy left with Sadbirdstillsing and pressed on two-wide to take the lead away from Billie E (Yannick Gingras) after the 29 3/5 opening quarter.

McCarthy was able to steal soft middle-half fractions of 1:00 1/5 and 1:30 after taking control, and a 28 4/5 final panel polished off a 1 1/2 length victory. Honorable Way (Ake Svanstedt), racing as part of an entry that was sent off at 3-5, had to settle for second after a first-over attempt, and Seven Year Itch (Jordan Stratton) collected third.

A daughter of Chapter Seven, Sadbirdstillsing was bred by Crawford Farms, who co-own her with Pryde Stables Inc. Sadbirdstillsing has a summary of 3-4-0 from ten starts, has earned $177,725 and paid $8.10 to win as the 3-1 third choice. She was atop a $16.40 exacta and a $39.00 trifecta.

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R Melina (Tyler Buter), who had success both in the sire stakes and on the Grand Circuit as a freshman, bagged the other flight in 1:55 3/5 for trainer John Butenschoen. Sister Mary Maude (Gingras) was in command through stations of 28 4/5, 58 3/5 and 1:26 4/5 with R Melina in third until Buter guided her first-over passing three-quarters.

Sister Mary Maude continued to show the way around the final bend and into the lane, but R Melina came with a sustained bid to her outside and was able to get by in the shadow of the wire to tally by a head. Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn) fanned out of fifth coming off the last turn and closed well to grab third.

Another Chapter Seven filly, R Melina was bred by Marsh Valley Standardbreds and is owned by M And L Of Delaware LLC. and Alabama Harness Associates LLC. R Melina has eight wins, a second and two thirds in 13 appearances, has pocketed $416,405 and returned $5.80 to win as the 9-5 second choice. She keyed an $18.20 exacta and a $70.50 trifecta.

Three $20,000 New York Excelsior "A" Series sections were featured on the undercard, with victories going to Communion Money (by Crazy Wow and bred by Salt Hill Farm) in 1:58 3/5 for driver Scott Zeron, co-owner/trainer Jared Bako and co-owner Ann Yurenka, Shiv (by Conway Hall and bred by Salt Hill Farm) in 1:59 3/5 for driver Todd McCarthy, co-owner/trainer Mike Simons and co-owners William Masterson and Albert Abdala III. and Pizza Bianca (by Chapter Seven and bred by Steve Jones) in 1:59 2/5 for driver Andy Miller, trainer Julie Miller and owner John Schmucker.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday live racing schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m., but the oval will host a nine-race program on Wednesday this week (May 22).

--press release (Yonkers)--