Yonkers Raceway's Friday night fare was highlighted by the $283,848 Dick McGuire Trot for three-year-old colts
and geldings.
The event was neatly divided into four subplots, each worth $70,962. McGuire, a basketball Hall of Famer, member of the New York Knicks organization for more than a half-century - and devout horse player - died this past February at the age of 84.
Celebrity Bluechip (Jason Bartlett) was the easiest of winners - at the puniest of prices - in the second McGuire event. Leaving from Post 2, he led at every pylon through comfy intervals of 30.1, 59.4 and 1:29.2 en route to freezing the timer in 1:58.1. The people's preference defeated Cider With Ice (Dan Daley) by 2 1/2 lengths, with Folk Tail (Matt Kakaley third).
For Celebrity Bluechip, a son of Credit Winner trained by Staffan Lind for co-owners Celebrity Farms, Herbert Burns III and Stephen Demeter, he returned $2.30 for his sixth win (third consecutive NYSS) in 13 seasonal starts.
"He figured to be the best in here, but I'm always a bit concerned about the first turn," Bartlett said. "He's just a good horse, and you know what? We haven't seen his best. I know there's more with him."
The night only sire stakes surprise was turned in Waldorf Hall (Frode Fladen), who sat pocketed to defending NYSS champ Blacktuxwhitesox (Jeff Gregory) in the final event, then rolled by and ran up the score.
Waldorf Hall defeated Big Stick Lindy (Ray Schnittker) by 3-1/2 lengths in an evening's-fastest 1:57.1, with even-money "Blacktux" fading to third.
For Waldorf Hall, a Conway Hall colt trained by Per Henriksen for Canadian co-owners Steve Organ and Asa Farm, he returned $21.60 (fourth choice) for his third win (second consecutive NYSS) in a dozen '10 tries.
"I felt very confident I would go by," Fladen said, "He was very good in his last start (Tioga), and he was even better tonight."
Friday night's other NYSS events were won by Whata Winner (1:58.2) and Jocular (1:59).
(Yonkers Raceway)