The New York Sire Stakes circuit was back at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (July 13) with a trio of divisions for sophomore pacing males, and all three were won by gelded sons of sire Huntsville.
In the first $55,000 grouping, Duval Street (Jason Bartlett) and I Was Tricked (Braxten Boyd) hooked up in a duel for the lead through opening-half fractions of :26.2 and :54.1. Then, Storm The Court (Dan Dube) made a three-wide bid out of fifth past the half that carried him into the top spot on the far outside at the 1:22.2 three-quarters.
Although he took command on the rim, Storm The Court was unable to clear Duval Street and I Was Tricked, so they continued to race three-across around the final bend and into the stretch. Duval Street used his inside advantage to actually re-take control coming into the lane, but Storm The Court surged forward again through the drive and went on to win by a length in 1:53. Taste Of Honey (Yannick Gingras) split foes and got up for second and Duval Street ended up third.
Mark Silva trains Storm The Court, bred by Steve Jones, for owner Dune Road Stables LLC. This was his sixth career win and he has now earned $88,305.
The longest shot on the board at odds of 19-1, Storm The Court paid $40.80 to win and keyed a $154.50 exacta and a $402.50 trifecta.
Goldin Greatness won the second $56,000 flight in 1:51.2. Driven by Bartlett, he settled in third as Blue Hunt (Joe Bongiorno) led early and then yielded to Thunder Hunter Joe (Tyler Buter) passing the :27.4 opening quarter. Thunder Hunter Joe, the 1-5 favourite, hit the half in :56.1, but Bartlett fired Goldin Greatness to the outside heading to the 1:24.1 three-quarters, going by Thunder Hunter Joe just beyond that marker. It was all Goldin Greatness from there, as he poured it on with every stride to the wire and drew off to prevail by 6-3/4 lengths. Thunder Hunter Joe held second and Blue Hunt finished third.
Trainer Chris Ryder also co-owns Goldin Greatness with partners William Ezzo, Evan Katz and Joe Sbrocco and Jaf Racing. Goldin Greatness has compiled a summary of 4-2-6 from 18 lifetime tries and pushed his bankroll to $127,939.
He returned $10.60 to win as a 4-1 offering. The exacta was worth $15.20 and the trifecta kicked back $42.80.
Huntinthelastdolar (pictured above) was the lone favourite to win his New York Sire Stakes section, taking the final test in 1:53.1. American Fling (Bartlett) advanced from the pocket to the point nearing the :27.1 quarter and continued to front the field to a :56.2 half and a 1:24.4 three-quarters. However, Huntinthelastdolar, with Scott Zeron in the bike, made steady progress after going first-over out of third before three-quarters, took command in the stretch and kicked away to tally by three lengths. Peppermint Man (Matt Kakaley) overcame a break on the final bend to finish second, and Train Station (Patrick Ryder) got up for third.
Gregg McNair trains and co-owns Huntinthelastdolar, bred by Crawford Farms, with partners George Kerr and Brad Grant. Huntinthelastdolar has five wins and three seconds from 13 efforts and has pocketed $275,770.
He paid $2.60 to win. Huntinthelastdolar was atop a $21.80 exacta and a $107 trifecta.
Adding to his top-level sire stakes success with Goldin Greatness, Bartlett also tallied in 1:54 with Bullville Stephano, an Artiscape colt, and in 1:55.2 with Tack Room Chatter, a Huntsville gelding, in two of the four $20,000 New York Excelsior A Series tests on the program. Bullville Stephano was sent out by trainer Steve Crevani for owner/breeder Crevani Farms, and Tack Room Chatter, bred by Steve Jones, is trained by Shane Tritton for owners Glenn Goller and Stephen Demeter.
Completing the New York Excelsior A Series victors were Bet On Buter (by Huntsville and bred by Steve Jones and Buter Farm Inc.) in 1:54 for driver Marcus Miller and trainer Erv Miller and Human Cocktail (by Huntsville and bred in partnership by Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., Daniel Zucker and owner Stephen Demeter) in 1:54.3 for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Travis Alexander.
Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-
(Yonkers Raceway)