Yonkers: St Somewhere stars in New York Sire Stakes

St Somewhere backed up an impressive rallying second-place finish in her debut last week at the Meadowlands with a facile 1:54 4/5 victory in the fastest of three $54,000 New York Sire Stakes splits for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night at Yonkers Raceway.

Driven by George Brennan, St Somewhere left well from the outside post eight and made the front from Sun Viser (Daniel Dube) passing the 27 2/5 opening quarter. St Somewhere would then reach the half in 56 3/5, and she would open up on her rivals through the back-half of the mile, kicking home in 29 2/5 off three-quarters in 1:25 2/5. JK American Beauty (Brian Sears) rushed from fifth to second in the final quarter, beaten 4 3/4 lengths by the winner, with Meghan Lynn (Jason Bartlett) third.

"I was really impressed with her, especially since it was her first time on a half-(mile track),” Brennan said,

Ron Burke trains the victorious daughter of American Ideal for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Phil Collura, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She broke her maiden in her second try, and she has now earned $29,500. Bred by Crawford Farms LLC., St Somewhere was a $55,000 buy at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is the second foal out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Somstreetsomwhere (1:52 4/5, $139,765). St Somewhere was the 6-5 co-favorite and paid $4.70 to win.

So Awesome (Tim Tetrick) would also deliver as the choice in the second flight, halting the clock in 1:55 3/5. Starting from post four and dispatched at 3-5, she was in command through stations of 29 2/5, 59, and 1:27 2/5, and she sprinted home in 28 1/5 to win going away. Crazy Cute (Jim Morrill Jr.) was second from the pocket, beaten by 3 1/2 lengths, with Who Can You Trust (Bartlett) back in the third spot.

A filly by So Surreal, So Awesome is trained by Scott Di Domenico for owner William Hartt. So Awesome, who was fourth in her debut at Pocono on June 26, has now put away $28,040. She was bred by The OK Corral and is out of the Kassa Branca mare Teddy Ballgirl (1:55 4/5, $119,809), a sister to three other six-figure earners, led by Little Mister (Village Jove, 1:52 1/5, $394,485). She returned $3.50 to win.

“I like her a lot,” DiDomenico said. ”She's really special."

The final division was much more of an adventure, as Hurrikane Norakane (Dube) inherited the win after a disqualification. She would yield to public choice Brooklyn Lilacs (Morrill Jr.) as they raced to the 28 4/5 opening quarter, and Brooklyn Lilacs would go to click off a half in 58 1/5. Then things got interesting in the backstretch as Brooklyn Lilacs got on a line badly and drifted out approaching the 1:27 3/5 three-quarters, losing the lead narrowly to Hurrikane Norakane.

Brooklyn Lilacs battled back around the far turn and into the lane, and she would get to the wire half a length to the good in a 1:56 4/5 mile, but the judges would put up the inquiry sign to look into the incident in the backstretch. After a lengthy deliberation, they decided that Brooklyn Lilacs had interfered with several horses behind her, and placed her last, elevating Hurrikane Norakane to the win, Gia's Surreal (Bartlett) to second, and Money Shot Hanover (Tetrick) to third.

Hurrikane Norakane, a filly by Art Major, is trained by John McDermott for owners Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing LLC., Pegasis Investment Group, and George Vierno. This was her career debut after four baby races, two at Goshen and two at the Meadowlands. She was bred by Twinbrook Limited and fetched $24,000 at the 2017 Standardbred Horse Sale. She is out of the Western Hanover mare Western Heat (1:54 2/5, $26,255), a half-sister to the likes of Robert's Rage (Artsplace, 1:52 2/5, $442,512). Hurrikane Norakane was sent off at 5-1 and returned $12.00 to win.

--quotes courtesy of Yonkers Raceway--