Forty Five Red and driver Dan Dube won Yonkers Raceway's $111,250 final of the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace for two-year-old colts and geldings.
With nose on gate from post position No. 2, Forty Five Red left around Thereisapaceforus (Larry Stalbaum). The former -- whose task was simplified when 4-5 favourite Western Conquest (Brent Holland) and Gotta Laugh Again (Ray Schnittker) both broke leaving -- had the lead just after a :28.4 opening quarter-mile.
A soft, :30.1 next quarter (:59-second half) made everyone else's job that much more difficult.
Stevensville (Jordan Stratton), partnered with Gotta Laugh Again, tried it first-up from sixth going toward the 1:27.3 three-quarters, but could never get close. Meanwhile, Forty Five Red widened to two and a half lengths turning for home, then whipped Thereisapaceforus by a couple of lengths in a life-best (three starts) 1:55.4.
Disarrei (Pat Lachance) sat a three-hole and wound up third, with Goldin Parachute (Eric Goodell) and Great American (Mark MacDonald) completing the cashers. Stevensville, Gotta Laugh Again and a distanced Western Conquest rounded out the order.
"He's just a good horse," Dube said. "I was happy with his race [finishing second] last week [in eliminations] and I would have been happy sitting second and taking my chances, but I saw [Western Conquest] get rough and it made it easier."
For $105,000 Lexington yearling Forty Five Red, a son of If I Can Dream co-owned by trainer Ron Burke (as Burke Racing) and Our Horse Cents Stable, he returned $7.60 (second choice) for a second win in those three tries. The exacta paid $50.50, with triple returning $679.
The race, honouring the founder of Hanover Shoe Farms, returned in 2012 after a nine-season hiatus. Larry DeVan, grandson of Mr. Sheppard and himself a prominent horse owner, was on hand to make the presentation.
(Yonkers Raceway)