After a three-week hiatus, New York Sire Stakes invade Yonkers Raceway this week for a pair of downstate dalliances.
Tuesday night, the $283,574 Milt Taylor Trot for two-year-old colts and geldings attracted just a dozen. Therefore, each 'six-pack' (Races 3 and 4) will head postward for a cool $141,787.
Early favouritism --- and the pole --- in the opener belong to Crazzycrazzy (Brian Sears, Post 1). The son of Crazed, trained by Casie Coleman for co-owners West Wins Stable and Andrew Harris, has a win and pair of seconds in three NYSS starts.
My Friend Charlie (Chris Lems, Post 3) won a statebred event at Buffalo. A George Ducharme-trained stablemate of Hambletonian winner Royalty for Life, the son of RC Royalty is a Paul Fontaine homebred.
It wouldn't be freshman sire stakes trot without the requisite Dan Daley participation. He trains and drives Daley Lovin (Post 4), who was a maiden-breaking, 14-1 upsetter at Vernon Downs his last time out.
The second and final event includes Lukas Hall (Jeff Gregory, Post 3), going after a third consecutive NYSS win. The Conway Hall colt, trained by Kevin McDermott for (breeder) Little E LLC and former New York Jets' standout wideout Wayne Chrebet, drilled his Vernon foes in 1:55.
Flyhawk El Durado (Jim Morrill Jr., Post 1) and Credit Fashion (Brian Sears, Post 4) have each won divisions of both sire stakes (Monticello Raceway and Tioga Downs) and Tompkins (Tioga Downs) this summer.
Thursday night's $289,775 Jim Meagher Pace for frosh colts and geldings will be contested in three ($96,025, $96,025 and $97,725) events, Races 3, 4 and 6 on the agenda.
The final division includes the speed freak Hes Watching (Jim Morrill Jr., Post 6). Already a world record-holder (freshman, five-eighths mile oval) after a 1:50 romp at Tioga, the bargain-basement ($3,000) yearling has won all three of his starts ($55,791).
However, his two small-track sojourns (Saratoga Raceway, Buffalo Raceway) have included self-inflicted trouble, as in early breaks. Dave Menary co-owns (with Brad Gray and Michael Guerrero) and trains the son of American Ideal.
Forty Five Red (Yannick Gingras, Post 7), no slouch he, returns to the scene of his down-the-road win in the $111,250 final of the Lawrence B. Sheppard (lifetime-best 1:55.4). The son of If I Can Dream, co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke and Our Horse Cents Stables, also has a pair of statebred wins (Saratoga Raceway, Monticello Raceway).
The other early Meagher early choices are Stay Up Late (David Miller, Post 1) in the first event and Thereisapaceforus (Yannick Gingras, Post 5) in the second grouping.
(Yonkers)