Jason Bartlett.
Pleasant chap...very good driver...but not exactly like having a rabbit's foot in the pocket.
There was Bartlett, sitting on a milestone (a handful of wins away from 3,000 for his career) and sitting in at Wednesday afternoon's luncheon draw for Yonkers Raceway's two premier trotting events, the $670,774 Yonkers Trot and its constant companion, the $327,985 Hudson Filly.
Bartlett, running away with the local driving standings for the second consecutive season, joined many Yonkers Trot connections that had more than a passing interest in the festivities. After all, he sat behind an elimination winner (Broadway Bistro and Seaside) in each stakes event.
Unfortunately for him, the gathering included some guests that often show up, both unannounced and unrepentant: the Gods of the Open Draw -- and they weaseled their way in disguised as the eight-hole…not once, but twice.
Glad you came, Jason?
"Unbelievable," was Bartlett's first reaction -- or at least the first reaction Yonkers could print in its draw release story.
"I really think I had a chance with both horses," Bartlett said. "I do have a chance, but now it's going to take a lot of luck."
Broadway Bistro, an Arlene and Jules Siegel homebred three-year-old son of Broadway Hall, went first-up against odd-on The Chancellor in last week's second Yonkers Trot elim. The 15-1 outsider assumed the lead when The Chancellor jumped it off before the three-quarters, then held off the closers for a 1:58.1 victory. Broadway Bistro enters Saturday's final listed at 8-1 on the morning line.
"He (Broadway Bistro) made me look good," Bartlett said. "I wanted to get away third, but I wound up fourth and didn't want to take a chance of getting locked in.
"I was lucky [The Chancellor] made a break and I was able to open some daylight, but he was good to the end."
Broadway Bistro defeated a fast-closing Calchips Brute by a length, with Citation Lindy third and Truth in Action fourth.
"After the draw, I texted (trainer) Jim Campbell and he sent a note that I had to drive better and he had to train better.
"It would mean a great deal to me to win this race at my home track," Bartlett said. "I am going to win it at some point. We just need a lot of things to work for us if it's going to happen (Saturday)."
Bartlett can get accustomed to his 10th race (Yonkers Trot) eight-hole with his seventh-race (Hudson Filly Trot) outpost escorting Seaside.
"She was great last week," Bartlett s said of the snappy 1:57.3 elim victory. "I shut her down late or she could've easily gone in 56-and-change."
Seaside, a sophomore daughter of Yankee Glide, is trained by Jonas Czernyson, who also trains Yonkers Trot finalist Select Yankee (PP4, Stephane Bouchard).
The lass will enter the Hudson three-for-nine in '09. The filly is the 4-1 second morning line choice, behind the other elim winner, Yursa Hanover (PP4, Jeff Gregory). Had the posts been flipped, the early chances would have been, too.
"This would be a special race to win," Bartlett said, "The owner (Tom Dillon) has been a friend of the family from Maine for years and the filly has a lot of talent, but..."
With that, Bartlett requested the Gods of the Open Draw go bother someone else.
The field for the Yonkers Trot (Race 10, 10:10 p.m.), with declared drivers and morning-line odds, is listed below.
Post - Horse (Driver - Line)
1 - Judge Joe (Ron Pierce, 7-5)
2 - Truth In Action (Mike Lachance, 10-1)
3 - Neighsay Hanover (Cat Manzi, 12-1)
4 - Select Yankee (Stephane Bouchard, 6-1)
5 - Citation Lindy (Ray Schnittker, 12-1)
6 - Calchips Brute (Jim Morrill Jr., 4-1)
7 - Celebrity Athena (Marcus Johansson, 10-1)
8 - Broadway Bistro (Jason Bartlett, 8-1)
The field for the Hudson Filly Trot (Race 7, 9:10 p.m.), with declared driver and morning-line odds, is listed below.
Post - Horse (Driver - Line)
1 - Hall Of Wishes (Stephane Bouchard, 5-1)
2 - Sirenuse (Ron Pierce, 8-1)
3 - Whispering Wind (Trond Smedshammer, 8-1)
4 - Yursa Hanover (Jeffrey Gregory, 9-5)
5 - Sea Raven (Greg Grismore, 15-1)
6 - One Tough Girl (Cat Manzi, 6-1)
7 - Windsong Soprano (Pat Berry, 6-1)
8 - Seaside (Jason Bartlett, 4-1)
(With files from Yonkers)