The Empire's glamour division was once again on display Saturday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $229,492 Jim Crawford Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings
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Four divisions went postward, with Overnight Delight (Cat Manzi) wiring the lone $58,198 on-the-card event. Leaving from the pole, Overnight Delight stuffed China King (Stephane Bouchard) in behind, then put up fractions of :28.1, :58, 1:26.1 and 1:54.3, a life-best effort. The back half turned into a match race with a stubborn Lucky Cadet (Jason Bartlett), the latter coming up a schnozz shy. American Romance (Jordan Stratton), as the 19-10 favourite, was third, beaten more than four lengths.
For Overnight Delight, a son of Dream Away co-owned by trainer Paul Jessop and Donato Falcicchio, he returned $9 (third choice) for his fifth win in 15 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $31, with the triple returning $66.
"The best thing about him is the way he can get away from the gate, and I had a chance to take advantage of it,” Manzi said. "We were able to rate a bit in the middle, and he was tough when the other horse [Lucky Cadet] took his shot."
Three $57,098 sire stakes non-bettors were won by:
- American Rage, g (by American Ideal); co-owners Randy Bendis, Michael Novosel Jr., Reed Broadway/trainer Ed Hart/driver Stratton; 1:53.4;
- Mojo Terror, g (by Western Terror); owner Bulletproof Enterprises/trainer Chris Oakes/driver Eric Goodell; 1:54.1;
- JK Camelot, g (by Art Major); co-owners Jeffrey Baimond and Scott Alberg/trainer Mark Kesmodel/driver Goodell; (life-best) 1:53.
Saturday night's $52,000 Open Handicap Pace was won by 9-10 favourite Clear Vision (Bartlett, $3.90), holding off the fast-closing Forest Vic A (Steve Smith) and getting the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 1:58.4.
New York Sire Stakes continue Monday night with the $243,176 Michael Sorentino Trot (three-year-old colts/geldings) and Tuesday night with the $253,560 Tuckahoe Pace (two-year-old colts/geldings).
(Yonkers Raceway)