Yonkers Raceway hosted its first seasonal get-together for the state's rookie colts and geldings with Friday night's $288,096 New York Sire Stakes Milt Taylor Trot.
Six $48,016 divisions went at it, with Royalty For Life (Jason Bartlett, $5.10) making a mockery of the final division. The son of RC Royalty two-moved to the lead, then threw down fractions of :29.2, :59.2, 1:29.2 and 2:00.1. The second choice defeated a recovering-from-a-miscue, 9-10 favourite Dexter Lake Club (Jim Morrill Jr.) by 12-3/4 lengths, with Insider Access (Jeff Gregory) third.
The win was the third in four frosh tries for Royalty For Life, co-owned by breeder Alfred Ross, Paul Fontaine and Raymond Campbell Jr. and trained by George Ducharme. The exacta paid $13.60, with the triple returning $55.50.
The other NYSS events were won by:
- Explosive Action (by Conway Hall); owner-trainer John Grasso/driver Bartlett; (placed first, first life-win) 1:59.3/$12.40;
- Lindys Creditline (by Credit Winner); co-owners (trainer) Rob Harmon/Comfortably Numb Stb,Adam Friedland,Arthur Farkas/driver Gregory; (first life win) 2:03.4/$24.60;
- Columbia Lion (by Malabar Man); owner Alan Kirschenbaum/trainer Rick Plano/driver George Brennan; 2:01.2/$2.70;
- Fashion Blizzard (by Credit Winner); owner Fashion Farms/trainer Jim Campbell/driver Morrill Jr.; (first life win) 1:59.4/$2.80;
- Creditora,g (by Credit Winner); owner Purple Haze Stables/trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer; 2:01.2/$3.
Friday's pair of $44,000 Open Handicaps, for trotters and distaff pacers, were won by favoured Pembroke Heat Wave (Bartlett, $5.50) in 1:56 and second longest shot on the board, Shaky Hanover (Jordan Stratton, $47.40) in 1:54, respectively.
Stakes action continues Saturday night, with the $119,000 final of the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace for two-year-old colts and geldings.
(Yonkers Raceway)