Yonkers Raceway Monday night played host to the New York Sire Stakes Clyde Hirt Pace for two-year-old fillies.
Five divisions - worth $58,175 each - had 34 young ladies on display, with all but one racing for purse money for the first time.
The first division saw odds-on Clara (Brian Sears, $2.90), from post five, a handy first-up victress. The Art Major homebred, owned by Yonkers' president Tim Rooney, grinded by pacesetter Hay Stacked (Ray Schnittker), then draw out by length-and-a-half in 1:58.1. Second went to a pocket-protecting It Was Fascination (Corey Callahan), with Jaded Dream (Tyler Buter) third.
Sears was sent postward at 25-cents-on-the-dollar with Instant Respect in the second division, but the chalk players took it on the chin here. Leading to the lane, Instant Respect faded to fourth, as 15-1 Bettor Chill Out (Jeff Gregory, $32.20), from post six, out-closed 14-1 pocket-sitter Supplemental Income (Matt Kakaley), winning by a neck in 1:57. Wondering Heart (George Brennan) went last-to-third.
The winning lass a daughter of Bettors Delight owned by Joseph Meaney and trained by Bruce Borden.
Monday's third NYSS grouping had a down-the-road Scandalicious (Brennan, $4.50) - from post two - winning by 2-¼ lengths in 1:56.2. Even-money favourite, Vitameatavegamin (Tim Tetrick), chased for second, with Mean Pauline (Matt Kakaley) finishing third.
Scandalicious is a daughter of American Ideal owned by JFE Enterprises and trained by Scott DiDomenico.
The evening's fourth sire stakes event again saw the second choice Ali Blue [Sears, $4.90]) picking off the people's preference, Bettor Business (Tetrick). Leaving from post two, Ali Blue was pocketed to Bettor Business, then beat her by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:56.4. Third went to a first-up Expose (Callahan).
Ali Blue is an American Ideal miss trained by Jimmy Takter for co-owners Christina Takter, Jim & John Fielding and RAW Equine.
The final NYSS grouping was won by second-choice Mind Over Matter (Tetrick, $5.50), throwing down the night's fastest gauntlet of 1:55.1. Sitting a three-hole - from post two - to 3-4 favourite Sweet Charity (Andrew McCarthy), Mind Over Matter picked off her foe by a length. Gentlemens Delight (Sears), full sister to See You at Peelers, was third.
Mind Over Matter is another Art Major filly, this one a Millar Farms homebred trained by Gregg McNair.
(Yonkers Raceway)