Jason Bartlett won five races Saturday night at Yonkers Raceway, including a stakes race of substance.
Bartlett and the New York-bred Ronny Bugatti out gamed a stubborn Sunfire Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras) on the money, winning Yonkers Raceway's $450,000 final of the Messenger Stakes - the final jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown - for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Leaving from post position two, Ronny Bugatti made the first lead before yielding to 11-10 choice Word Power (George Brennan). While that was happening, last week's two elimination winners, Sunfire Blue Chip and Lucan Hanover (Dave Miller), leaving from posts 7 and 8, respectively, were looking for seats. Sunfire Blue Chip found one in third, while there was no room at the inn for Lucan Hanover.
Word Power made the lead just after a :27.1 opening quarter-mile, It was in turn two that Sunfire Blue Chip made his second move, going after the lead toward a soft :56.4 half. Word Power and Sunfire Blue Chip threw it down in a :26.4 third quarter (1:23.3), with Word Power taking a comfortable lead into the lane.
Despite the brutal trip, Sunfire Blue Chip put away the leader, but could not stall Ronny Bugatti who ducked inside and out gamed Sunfire Blue Chip by a head in 1:51.4 - a track record for three-year-old pacing geldings. Twilight Bonfire (Tim Tetrick), next-to-last early, rallied for third, with an out-every-step Lucan Hanover and Odds On Equuleus (Corey Callahan) coming away with the minor spoils.
For Ronny Bugatti, an Art Major gelding trained by Allan Johnson for co-owners Eric Prevost, Bridget McNeese and Tom Haughton, he returned $14.80 for his third win in 15 seasonal starts.
“It's great to win a race like this,” said Bartlett, who grabbed the drive when Miller stayed with Lucan Hanover. “I didn’t think it would be that close coming around the last turn, but George’s [Brennan] horse [Word Power] stalled and that allowed Yannick [Gingras and Sunfire Blue Chip] to gain momentum. He gets around this track very well and we beat a talented horse."
The $225,000 winner's share more than double Ronny Bugatti’s career earnings, which now stand at $365,058.
Charisma Hanover (Yannick Gingras) romped to a stakes record Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $178,684 final of the Lady Maud pace for three-year-old fillies with the greatest of ease.
A week removed from her 1:51.4 divisional track record in an elimination romp, Charisma Hanover was sent postward with the hopes and dreams of those who took 45-cents-on-the-dollar. Even though her escort said "she's not at her best on the front," Gingras took matters into his own hands early. As the only leaver - from post position four - Charisma Hanover worked around 58-1 pole-sitter Certified Ideal (Jim Pantaleano) well before a :27.3 opening quarter-mile.
After a :56.2 intermission, Scandalous Hanover (Dave Miller) - last week's other elim winner and the lone $15,000 supplemental entrant - tried it first-up from fifth. That one couldn't get close to Charisma Hanover, who found a 1:24 three-quarters. The people's preference owned a length-and-three-quarter lead into the lane, then widened.
The final margin was 3-1/2 lengths in 1:52 - a tick slower than her effort of a week ago, but a tick faster than Bettor B Lucky's Lady Maud win from a season ago. Certified Ideal managed to hold second from a very loose pocket, with Scandalous Hanover, Handsoffmycupcake (Dan Dube) and Antigua Hanover (Jason Bartlett) rounding out the payees.
For Charisma Hanover, a daughter of Dragon Again co-owned (as Burke Racing Stable LLC) by trainer Ron Burke and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, she returned $2.90 for her 11th win in 17 '13 tries.
Gingras won this race for a second time, seven seasons after the double-millionairess Darlins Delight.
“When I saw the half in :56.2, I felt pretty good from there,” Gingras said. “I thought it was her race to lose and drove her that way. Even though she went so fast last week, I never had to pull the plugs and I knew I'd have a lot for the final."
The 13-race handle was a season-high $1,061,228 the second seven-figure handle in as many nights.
(Yonkers Raceway)