Driver Jim Morrill, Jr., Scotchgarded colours and all, won both halves of Yonkers Raceway’s $225,000 New York Sire Stakes Mike Cipriani Trot Monday night.
Morrill captured the first ($111,500) very wet event for three-year-old fillies with defending statebred champ Market Rally ($2.20). The odds-on favourite had to work first-up to dispose of pace-setting Lady with Credit (Trond Smedshammer) before opening up down the backside.
Market Rally opened five lengths into the lane before whipping Glowngold (Brian Sears) by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:59.4. Third went to 59-1 outsider Cutup Hanover (Jeff Gregory).
Market Rally, a daughter of Cash Hall, is 3-for-5 this season (3-for-3 since adding Lasix) for co-owners (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Panhellenic Stable.
Morrill and 17-1 L Dees Scripture ($37.20) avoided all the happenstance in the equally-moist second ($113,500) event. The pair sat pocketed to Driving Miss Crazy (Gates Brunet) in what turned out to be a two-speed, outside-post number.
L Dees Scripture eased past Driving Miss Crazy, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.1. Maud Blue Chip (Sears) was third, back another two lengths. Four of the five remaining lasses—including 9-10 fave Avalicious (Yannick Gingras)—either broke or caused a rival to do the same.
Fifth choice L Dees Scripture, a Credit Winner lass co-owned by Lawrence Dumain and Carlo Lattinelli and trained by Julie Miller, is off the ’14 schneid (1-for-5).
New York Sire Stakes continue Thursday night, with the $221,000 NYSS Armand Palatucci Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings. A trio of groupings—purses of $72,800, $74,100 and $74,100—go as races 1, 4 and 9.
(Yonkers Raceway)