On Tuesday, March 8, Yonkers Raceway began its annual tribute to Teddy Roosevelt, the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series for three and four-year-old male pacers.
The horses that were competing were non-winners of four races and/or $40,000 in purse earnings through last December 1. A total of six $20,000 divisions went postward.
Arrow (Matt Kakaley, $14.80) was the lone ‘price’ horse in the third division. He worked out a second-over trip from Post 4 and eventually got up over the pacesetting Steve Said (who was driven by Eric Carlson) by one and a half lengths in 1:54.3.
Arrow is a four-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven that is owned by Growth Opportunities LLC and is trained by Tony Farina. He is now 3-for-7 this season. Last summer, he won here at odds of 94-1.
Tuesday’s second Sagamore Hill division saw the pole-sitting Dontcallmefrancis (Brian Sears, $5.30) sit a loose pocket to the favoured Tonis Affection (Scott Zeron) before getting up by a neck in 1:53.2.
The three-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding whipped his elders and lowered his previous lifetime-best mark by nearly four seconds. Nifty Norman trains the seasonal-debuting winner for Enzed Racing Stable.
A list of the other ‘chalky’ division winners appears below.
• Some Power,g,4 (by Somebeachsomewhere); owner P T Stable/trainer Rich Banca/driver Jason Bartlett; 1:53.3/$4.30
• Team Captain,g.4 (by Somebeachsomewhere); owner Joseph Martinelli Sr./trainer Tony O’Sullivan/driver Bartlett; life-best 1:53.1/$3.70
• Rodeo Romeo,4 (by Rocknroll Hanover); co-owners Oompa’s Farm,Robert Mondillo,Michael Day/trainer Chris Ryder/driver Sears; 1:53.3/$2.30
• J T,g,4 (by Badlands Hanover); co-owners (as Burke Racing) (trainer) Ron Burke/Weaver Bruscemi/driver George Brennan; 1:53.2/$3.30.
Yonkers’ live season continues Thursday evening (first post 7:10 p.m.), with the newly-relocated $10,000 guaranteed Pick 5 pool.
(With files from Yonkers)