The perfect See You at Peelers is now 21-for-21 as of Thursday night thanks to an impressive win in her $46,826 division of Yonkers Raceway's $233,230 New York Sire Stakes Rye Pace
. The time - an effortless 1:52.2 - was a track record for her three-year-old filly weight class.
There were a lot of variables before the race even took place.
First, Beforethedaystarts, who had drawn post position five, came up ill. Then, JK Owhatnite, a formidable, stakes-winning filly in her own right and who would have been See You At Peelers' biggest obstacle from post three, also called in sick.
Finally, the starlet herself was listed as questionable as late as mid-afternoon, while her trainer waited for the latest tests to be graded without a curve, but more about that later.
When the gate sprung, See You At Peelers, who had originally drawn a seven-hole, was put in play by Marcus Johansson from post five. The 1-20 favourite worked around second choice Tea Party Princess (Brian Sears) well before a comfy :28.2 opening quarter-mile. From there, a :57.1 intermission and 1:25.1 three-quarters gave her three lengths to play with turning for home.
At the wire, See You at Peelers whipped a drifting Tea Party Princess by 2-1/2 lengths in that 1:52.2. New Album (George Brennan), Alexachase (Dan Dube) and Hazes Zure Bet (Jeff Gregory) rounded out a field that finished in ascending pari-mutuel order.
See You At Peelers, a daughter of Bettors Delight, is now 8-for-8 this season with 2011 earnings approaching $730,000. She ran her career Westchester resume to 5-for-5, including a beat down of the boys in last month’s $307,734 Art Rooney Pace. She returned $2.10 for the win.
"This is probably as good as she's been," said Jimmy Takter, who trains the lass for his wife, (breeder) Christina Takter, along with Jim and John Fielding. “She's just a freak, and I'm very lucky to have her. To pace a :55 (and 1) back half like as easily as she did is amazing. Marcus never asked her at all. Like I said when I trained Moni Maker, 'I'm just a good baby sitter. The horses are everything.’ "
"I have to be honest," Takter said. "There was a chance she wasn't going to race tonight. She hadn't been herself for a few days after the (Tarport Hap win at the) Meadowlands. She was dehydrated, but she had trained better this past weekend. We took blood on her and if the tests didn't come back the way we liked, we would have scratched her."
"I could see right away she was back to her old self," Johansson said. "She was playing at the farm today, but it's all business on the track.
"I'm sure having the other filly (JK Owhatanite) in there would have would have made us work a bit harder, but (See You At Peelers) is just incredible. We never take anything for granted, but she loves racing here (Yonkers) and she was just as she's always been."
Thursday's other stakes winners were From The Start (1:54.3), City Delight (1:55), Asteria Blue Chip (1:54.2) and Tiamo (1:55.2).
Thursday night's card also included the $255,213 New York Sire Stakes Mike Cohen Trot, comprised of seven divisions (including four off the card) for frosh fillies. The race again honoured the memory of the publicity director for both Yonkers and NBC Sports.
The winners were Kristins Victory (2:00.1), Pittstop Ruthie (2:03), For A Dancer (2:01.1), Zanna Royal (2:03.3), Barbara Goldstein (2:02). Anandamide (2:01.4) and Hooneymoonisover (2:02.3).
(Yonkers Raceway)