The New York Sire Stakes caravan grabbed their E-ZPass toll tags and went downstate for the first time this season, with Yonkers Raceway hosting Monday night's
$281,844 White Plains Trot.
Six divisions of three-year-old colts and gelding went at it, and Jeff Gregory threw down the evening's two fastest gauntlets with A Megabuck (1:58) and Blacktuxwhitesocks (1:58.1).
A Megabuck, who raced in the county fairs as a two-year-old and overcame an early break to win an overnight race here 12 nights ago in a career-best 1:57.1, made his first sires stakes event count. Eased away fourth from the gate in the $46,674 final division, he watched as 4-5 choice Shaq Is Back (Ray Schnittker) work through fractions of :28.4, :59 and 1:28.1. A Megabuck methodically moved first-up, eventually seizing the lead early stretch and defeating Shaq Is Back by 2-1/2 lengths. Azad Boko (Jordan Stratton) was third.
A Megabuck, a Dream Vacation gelding trained by Melissa Beckwith for owner Ira Kristel, returned $4.70. It was his fourth win in five seasonal starts.
"Last week, I don't think I timed the gate well, and he broke," Gregory said. "When I able to get him going, he was super. Tonight, he was a lot smoother getting out of there, and he just kept at it. I'm very happy to win a race like this for my friends, the Beckwiths."
Blacktuxwhitesocks, last season's frosh divisional champ, gave nothing else a chance in the $46,674 second event. He beat the gate and his six rivals with intervals of :28.4, 59.1 and 1:27.4. That gave him a dozen-length lead turning for home before hitting the line up by nine.
Whata Winnner (Jim Doherty), the 2-5 favourite, chased from the loosest of pockets, while Carbon Footprint (Brent Holland) was third.
The son of Credit Winner returned $7.60 for his first win in three '10 tries. Jessica Okusko trained for Purple Haze Stables.
"He's just a very talented horse," Gregory said. "I told Howie (Okusko) that he does the dirty work with this colt to get him ready and I see him at his best. He's bigger than last season, but gets around Yonkers great. I just let him roll."
Monday night's other NYSS winners were:
• Aruba Vacation – 1:59.3 (by Dream Vacation)
• Stimulus – 1:59.4 (by Credit Winner)
• Captain Sully – 2:00 (by Conway Hall)
• Carnegie - 2:00 (by Conway Hall)
(Yonkers Raceway)