The M Life Rewards Ladies Pacing Series kicked off on Tuesday night (March 2) at Yonkers Raceway with a trio of $15,000 divisions that were won by Flirty Forty, Dragon Roll, and Turnthefrownaround.
Flirty Forty, sent at 21-1 in the first split, sat third while 1-9 favourite Pettycoat Business led through fractions of :28.1, :57.1, and 1:25.3. Sound Idea stalked Pettycoat Business from the pocket and then tipped two wide before they turned into the lane, with Flirty Forty tracking Sound Idea's bid before going three wide in the stretch. Flirty Forty had the best kick, getting up to win by a head in 1:55 1. Sound Idea was second, and Pettycoat Business had to settle for third.
Mark Ford trains Flirty Forty, a four-year-old daughter of American Ideal, for owner Bay Pond Racing Stable. This was her fourth win, and she has now earned $42,452. Matt Kakaley drove the $45.40 winner. The 2-1 exacta returned $171.00, and the trifecta kicked back $406.00.
Favourite Dragon Roll, sent to the gate at 4/5, dashed to the lead from post five and put up stations of :28.2, :58.3, and 1:27.1 in the next section. Despite the well-rated tempo, Dragon Roll had to dig in determinedly in the last quarter, initially to fend off a first over try from Pray The Rosary, and then to deal with a big close from Break The Deal through the stretch. Although she made the chalk players and her connections sweat it out, the wire came up in time for Dragon Roll to tally over Break The Deal by a nose in a 1:57.1 mile. Pray The Rosary held third.
Dragon Roll is a four-year-old Roll With Joe mare owned and trained by Ricky Bucci. She now sports a record of 4-4-8 from 21 tries, and she has pocketed $149,073. Jason Bartlett drove the $3.70 winner. The 5-6 exacta paid $29.00 and the trifecta of 5-6-8 was worth $357.50.
The last flight saw Somebeachsomefra pop out of the pocket to take over command from Special Achiever on the way to a :28.3 opening quarter. Somebeachsomefra continued to front the field to the half in :58 and three-quarters in 1:26.3, with even-money choice Turnthefrownaround vacating the cones out of third early on the last turn. Somebeachsomefra still had a clear advantage turning for home and responded when driver Scott Zeron called on her in the lane, but Turnthefrownaround wore her down in deep stretch to prevail by a neck in 1:56. There was a dead-heat for third between Special Achiever and Off The Press.
The winner is another four-year-old by Roll With Joe and is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., and Phil Collura. Turnthefrownaround scored her fifth victory in her 30th trip behind the gate, and she has now banked $129,660. George Brennan drove the $4.30 winner. The exacta paid $11.40, and the two trifectas kicked back $21.60 (Special Achiever third) and $39.40 (Off The Press third).
The M Life Rewards Ladies Pacing Series has additional preliminary legs on Tuesday, March 9 and Tuesday, March 16. The final is slated for March 23.
The boys take their turn in the M Life Rewards Gents Pacing Series on Wednesday night's (March 3) 10-race card at Yonkers, competing in four divisions of their first round.
(Yonkers Raceway)