New York Sire Stakes returned to Yonkers Raceway Monday night, with the $343,268 Mike Cipriani Trot for three-year-old fillies on tap. The event honours the Raceway's long-time, award-winning photographer, with his son, Ralph, and other family members doing the winner's circle presentation honours.
Four divisions went at it, with defending sire stakes champ For A Dancer (Jeff Gregory, $2.10) making quick work of her third ($85,067) division foes. Pole-sitting, she retook from Miss Fidget (Cat Manzi), then never had any angst. Comfy fractions of :29, :59.2, 1:29.3 and 1:58.3 gave her a 3-1/2 length victory. Miss Fidget was easily second, with 72-1 shot Latte Hall (Jim Raymer) third.
For A Dancer, a daughter of Conway Hall owned by Bluestone Farms and trained by Joe Holloway, is now 5-for-5 this season and 13-for-16 in her career.
"She's just a professional," Gregory said. "She's handy on a small track and fast enough on a big track. She didn't grow a whole lot (between two and three), she's just a couple of seconds faster.”
Steuben Lone Pine (George Brennan) wound up sticking his tongue out in the opening ($86,537) event and in doing so edged out Kristins Victory (Steve Smith) in a life-best 1:58. It was slight second choice whipping the tepid favourite, with Borrow and Spend (Ray Schnittker) was third.
Steuben Lone Pine, a daughter of Sand Vic owned by David Fisher and trained by Mary Fisher, became a career six-figure earner with her first win in six seasonal starts.
The second ($86,567) division saw Fortunista (Brennan, $8.20), despite being out the mile, going up and over the 3-10 choice Anandamide (Jim Morrill, Jr.) and winning by a length. The mile was a life-best 1:57.4. Lima Playmate (Schnittker) was third, with Montana Skies (Trond Smedshammer) fourth.
Fortunista, a Credit Winner miss co-owned by (trainer) Gilberto Garcia-Herrera and Barbara and Donald Arnstine, is now 2-for-9 this season.
The final ($85,067) grouping saw 1-4 shot Cowgirl Hall (Gates Brunet, $2.50) wear down a stubborn Bridge The Way (Brennan) by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58. It was more than five lengths back to Adriana Hanover (Smith).
Cowgirl Hall, a Cash Hall lass trained by her driver for co-owners Jean Brunet, Deborah Brunet, Ted Gewertz and Michael Rosenthal, is 4-for-7 this season and has won half of her 16 career efforts.
Statebreds continue their invasion Tuesday night, with the $337,370 Michael Sorentino Trot for soph colts and geldings.
(Yonkers Raceway)