Jimmy Takter entered four of the fifteen three-year-olds in Saturday night's pair of $40,000 elimination races, and at the end of the day he produced a set of winners and a second-place finisher

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Hard Livin (Jimmy Takter) and Senor Glide (Cat Manzi) lead an octet into the final of the 56th Yonkers Trot, first jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown. Each winner was originally a scheduled Ron Pierce drive.

Hard Livin, starting from the pylons as part of the odds-on entry in the first elim, set pedestrian fractions of :30.1, 1:01.4, 1:30.4 and then took it to the house in 1:59.2. Stablemate/entrymate On the Tab (Dave Miller) photoed Shaq is Back (Ray Schnittker) for second, the pair beaten three-quarters of a length. Waldorf Hall (Jeff Gregory), the rank outsider at 28-1, earned the final "final" berth.

For Hard Livin, a son of SJs Caviar co-owned by Takter's wife Christina, John Fielding and Falkbolagen AB, he returned $2.50 for his third win in seven seasonal starts.

"It always a bit of an adjustment coming from the bigger tracks in Pennsylvania over here, but I thought he handled Yonkers well," Takter said. "The last time he was on a half (elims for Dexter Cup at Freehold), he had a quarter-crack and made a break. We didn't have to go much, but he was his usual self tonight."

Senor Glide also went wire-to-wire, grabbing the baton from Post 4 and shamelessly refusing to let go through fractions of :29, :59.4 and 1:29.3 en route to the 1:58.4 decision. Take My Picture (Jeff Gregory) angled out of the three-hole, had dead aim but missed a head. Carnegie (Stephane Bouchard) was a pocket third, with Big Stick Lindy (Ray Schnittker) closing from last early to grab fourth and the final seat at the adult table.

For Senor Glide, a Yankee Glide colt co-owned by Christina Takter, John Fielding and Frederick Hertrich III, he returned $10 for his first win in five seasonal starts.

"I had seen this colt race before, and I knew there was some talent there," Manzi said. "He showed me some fight down the lane."

Saturday night also featured a pair of $20,000 eliminations for the Trot's companion event, the Hudson Filly.

Spicy Wings (Cat Manzi) unleashed a wicked final eighth to snap millionaires - and 1-4 favourite - Costa Rica (Ron Pierce) nearing the wire, taking the first elim in 1:59. The latter put up walk-around fractions of :30.4, 1:01.1 and 1:30.1, but was beaten a half-length.

Secret Credit (Jeff Gregory) and Unefoisdansmavie (Stephane Bouchard) - the lone $30,000 supplemental entrant - also earned places in the final.

For Spicy Wings, a daughter of Andover Hall trained by Jeff Webster for co-owners Let It Ride and Mentally Stables and Jerry Silva, she returned $8.10 for her third win in six seasonal starts.

"My first objective was just to get her into the final, but she certainly impressed me," Manzi said.

The second elim for the fillies came down to a match race between Munis Blue Chip (Ray Schnittker) and Bramalea Hanover (David Miller), with the pace-setting former holding off the first-up latter.

Munis Blue Chip led at every pylon through intervals of :29.3, 59.3, 1:28.3 and 1:57.2. Bramalea Hanover, who was sent off as the 3-4 people's choice - missed a schnozz, with Show Your Lindys (Frode Fladen) and the winner's entrymate, Religulous (Cat Manzi), grabbing the final two invites.

For Munis Blue Chip, a state-bred daughter of Credit Winner co-owned (and trained) by Schnittker, Arnold, Silva and Blue Chip Bloodstock, she returned $5.50 for her third win in seven '10 tries.

Please be advised that both stakes finals - worth $573,770 (Yonkers Trot) and $299,050 (Hudson Trot) - are scheduled for Saturday, July 10, with open draws made at a Wednesday afternoon press conference at the Raceway.

Saturday night's $42,500 Open Handicap Pace was won by Deuce Seelster (Jordan Stratton, $29.80) in 1:52.2.

New York Sire Stakes actions continues Thursday night, with the $238,137 Milt Taylor Trot (two-year-old colts and geldings) in seven consecutive divisions.

(Yonkers Raceway)