On Thursday night Yonkers Raceway hosted the New York Sire Stakes' Jim Crawford Pace for two-year-old colts and geldings, and the betting public chose wisely in the splits.
Travel Playlist (Andy Miller, $2.90) fooled very few in the opening ($75,112) division, two-moving before busting the race wide open (:27.4, :57.4, 1:27, 1:54.3). Seated third early from post position No. 5, the odds-on number worked around early leader Red Roll (Jason Bartlett), then ran up the score.
No worse for wear after a scratch sick from his last scheduled start in western New York, tonight’s final margin was 5-1/4 lengths. It was 37-1 shot Cenovis (Scott Zeron) getting second and Red Roll lasting for third. Autotune Hanover (Tyler Buter), the winner of the Sheppard Pace here earlier in the winner, was a non-threatening fourth.
For Travel Playlist, an Art Major colt owned by Ron Michelon and trained by Erv Miller, it was his third win in as many seasonal (NYSS) tries (2-for-2 here). The exacta paid $53.40, with the triple returning $101.
In Thursday night’s second ($76,512) sire stakes event, even less of those same people who weren’t fooled by Travel Playlist could not be tricked by Joe Larry N Curly (Jim Morrill Jr., $2.60)
Leaving from post No. 4, he took over from first leader Skip Jive (Bartlett), then set unpressured intervals of :28, :58, 1:28 and 1:55.4. The final margin was 2-1/4 lengths. Fine Diamond (George Brennan), who lost touch in the three-hole down the backside, did finally snatch second, with Skip Jive holding third.
For Joe Larry N Curly, a son of Roll With Joe co-owned by (trainer) Mark Harder, Joseph Jannuzzelli and Dawn Colucci, he’s now 4-for-6 this season (1-for-3 here). The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $4.50, with the triple returning $24.80.
(with files from Yonkers)