Darlins Delight and her $2.7 million career bankroll made a rare Yonkers Raceway appearance Friday night, which was good news for her retirement fund and bad news for her rivals
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With Yannick Gingras taking his customary seat for trainer Jeff Stafford, "Darlin"--here for her first visit since last September--was ordered to the outside for the co-featured, $44,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
No eight-hole can hold her. Sent off at 3-5, Darlins Delight methodically waited for the seat-fillers to take their places. It was nearly a half-mile before she found the front as Omen Hanover (Eric Abbatiello), then Double Dream N (Brent Holland) alternated through a 27.4 opening quarter-mile.
The favoured femme grabbed the gauntlet before a :56.2 intermission and the rest were going for second money. Darlins Delight found a 1:25.2 three-quarters, then had a couple of lengths to play with turning for home. She won by that margin in 1:54.1, defeating J K Pure Pearl (Stephane Bouchard), with Ubetterthink Think (Jordan Stratton) third. Double Dream N and Ramona Disomma (Greg Grismore) grabbed the small change.
For Darlins Delight, a six-year-old statebred daughter of Bettors Delight owned by White Birch Farm, she paid $3.20 for her fourth win in eight '09 tries (31-for-67 lifetime). The victress led a $14.40 exacta and $85.50 triple.
The weekly featured trot saw Beach Nut Brand (Jeff Gregory) go up and over an invading leader Sergeant York (Gingras) down the backside the second time, then run up the score.
Beach Nut Brand, the 9-10 favourite from his assigned post No. 4, moved first-up from fourth after the interloper put up intrepid intervals of :27.4 and :57.4. Beach Nut Brand gained the advantage before a 1:26.1 three-quarters, moving from 4 1/2 lengths entering the lane to 4 3/4 lengths at the wire.
The 1:55.3 effort matched Chick N Tell's performance of a week ago as the fastest local trotting mile of the season. Chick N Tell (Bouchard) rallied for second here, with Sauce Two K (Cat Manzi), Armbro Barrister (Steve Smith) and Galleons Assassin (Stratton) completing the cashers.
For Beach Nut Brand, a seven-year-old Branded gelding trained by Mark Harder for co-owners Stable 45 and Scott Kurzrok, he returned $3.90 for his fourth win in 17 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $20.80, with the triple returning $105.50.
Yonkers is taking an early-June live racing break, as previously scheduled and approved by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board.
After the Saturday night program, Yonkers does not race again until Saturday night, June 6, featuring eliminations for both the Art Rooney and Lismore Paces. Put another way, there is no live racing next Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (June 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th).
The regular five-program-per-week schedule (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) resumes the week of June 8th. First post for all racing programs is 7:10 p.m.
Afternoon simulcasting does continue around the NYRA schedule. Looking ahead to the June 6th Belmont Stakes, please be advised that first Belmont Park post that day is 11:35 a.m.
(Yonkers Raceway)