Freshmen Fillies Battle In NYSS
New York Sire Stakes returned to Westchester Thursday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $257,608 Clyde Hirt Pace for two-year-old fillies
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Six divisions of (primarily) pari-mutuelly debuting damsels went postward, with Tim Tetrick crossing the river and doubling his pleasure.
Tetrick drove JK Fine Art (1:56.2), who overcame the eight-hole in the $43,068 final event. Two-moving to the lead, she defeated a pylon-skimming Major Look (Cat Manzi) by 4-1/2 lengths. Park Avenue Paige (George Brennan) was third.
Linda Toscano trained the homebred daughter of Art Major, co-owned by 3 Brothers Stable and William Jacobowitz. She returned $4.10 as the just-above-even-money favourite.
Tetrick also won the $43,068 fifth Hirt division with a Handsoffmycookie ($4.80) in 1:57.3. The Art Major lass, more than a bit green off the final turn, nevertheless edged past pace-setting Romantic Moment (Marcus Johansson) to win by three-quarters of a length. Hayworth Blue Chip (Ray Schnittker), the 6-5 choice, was third.
"I baby-raced her twice at the Meadowlands, and I think she can be a good one," Tetrick said. "She has some things to learn, but she has a motor."
Handsoffmycookie is trained by Scott DiDomenico for JFE Enterprises.
The third NYSS event proved the night's fastest as Centralia Hanover (Brennan, $18.80) whipped a bothered, 2-5 choice Silk Purse (Tetrick) by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:56.1. Southwind Missouri (Phil Fluet) was third. The favourite was pocketed, then impeded, when pace-setting Arm In Arm (Manzi) made a break on the lead off the final turn.
"The report on this filly was that I was going to hate her when I warmed her up, and I did," Brennan said. "(Trainer) Mark (Harder) said just to ease her out of the gate. I was lucky that the other horse (Silk Purse) had some issues, but mine came home very well."
Centralia Hanover is a daughter of Art Major co-owned by Rick Phillips and W Springtime Racing.
The evening's fourth state-bred event was a down-the-road effort by Bijou Theater (Schnittker, $8.60), prevailing by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:57.3. Our Sophia (Frank Milby) outraced her odds, chasing the winner around the oval at 47-1, with Double Major (Tetrick) third. Bijou Theater is an Art Major miss co-owned by (trainer) Schnittker, Ted Gewertz and Steven Arnold.
Thursday night's pair of non-wagering Hirt events, worth $42,268 and $43,068, were won by Scootndowntheriver (1:58.2) and Another Hanover (1:57.4).
New York Sire Stakes continues here Friday night with the $257,257 Jim Meagher Pace for two-year-old colts and geldings.
Saturday night, the Raceway presents its two premier trotting events of the season - the $445,474 Yonkers Trot (first jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown) and the $237,714 Hudson Filly.
(Yonkers Raceway)