Yonkers Raceway hosted its first New York Stakes crowd of the season Thursday night, with the $163,375 Michael Sorentino Trot for three-year-old colts and geldings going postward in a trio of divisions.
There’s no way to sugar coat this…chalk players were accorded the chalk outline, as all three odds-on entities failed to deliver on their puny pari-mutuel promises.
The opening event saw last season’s frosh statebred champion, Crazy Wow (Yannick Gingras)—at 1-20—jump it off in the second turn after making the lead. When the stone dust settled, it was 26-1 Royal Deceptor (Mickey McGivern, $55.50), pocketed from post position three, nipping Mythology Blue Chip (Jim Morrill, Jr.) by a nose in a life-best 1:58 (:29.1, :59.2, 1:28.3). Insomniac (Mark MacDonald) cut the mile and faded to third, beaten a neck. Crazy Wow finished fourth.
For third choice Royal Deceptor, a son of RC Royalty trained by Cheryl McGivern for co-owners Charles Foster, Michael James and Michael Sentiwany, Jr., it was his fourth win in five seasonal starts.
“He was very good early last season, but they sort of caught up to him,” Mickey McGivern said. “He’s just a lunch pail sort of horse, keeps trying and keeps working.”
The second sire stakes grouping found 3-5 choice Habitat (Gingras), with a NYSS and Dexter Cup win already on his resume, also do the dance of the damned. His malfeasance occurred entering the first turn. That left Military Blue (Mike Simons) leading the gang (:28.3, :58.2, 1:27.3) before his night was over. Buen Camino (Trond Smedshammer) took over from first-over, only to get snapped on the money by 31-1 proposition Workout Wonder (Dan Dube, $65.50). Leaving from post four, the margin—another nose—was in 1:56.3, far and away a career-best effort. Wings of Royalty (Brian Sears) was third, with Apostles Creed (Brett Miller) fourth. Habitat was last among the seven.
For fifth choice Workout Wonder, a Conway Hall colt co-owned by All Laid Out Stable and trained by Ake Svanstedt, it was his first win in three ’15 tries.
The evening’s final NYSS event found 3-10 Maestro Blue Chip (Smedshammer) carrying the water for the rank and file. He disposed of Royal Becca J (Jack Parker, Jr.) after the one’s early lead (:29.2, :58.2), then widened after a 1:28.2 three-quarters.
‘Maestro’ had three lengths in and out of the final turn, only to get that run-down feeling from The Physician (George Brennan, $15.20). The latter, from post five, whipped the former by a neck in a life-best 1:58.1, with Royal Lad (Simons) third.
For The Physician, a Credit Winner gelding trained by Anette Lorentzon for co-owners ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson, he’s now 2-for-3 this season.
(Yonkers Raceway)