Yonkers Raceway Thursday night hosted the $166,874 New York Sire Stakes Armand Palatucci Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings.
The event went in two divisions, worth $84,187 of $82,687, respectively.
The first division saw Rockin In Heaven (Dave Miller, $5.30) last on the lead and win a three-horse photo. Leaving from post position two, Rockin In Heaven worked around 7-5 favourite Betting Exchange (Jim Morrill, Jr.), then put up intervals of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26.2 en route to the 1:53.2 score. He held off a closing Soto (Dan Dube) by a nose, with Betting Exchange beaten in neck from the pocket.
For second choice Rockin In Heaven, a Rock N Roll Heaven colt co-owned by trainer Dr. Ian Moore, Douglas Polley, Francois Lecomte and Gordon McComb, it was his sixth win in a dozen seasonal starts.
“He only does as much as he to,” Miller said of the winner, and, for that matter, the author.
Thursday night’s second Palatucci grouping was not for the squeamish, as the state’s glamour division was anything but glamorous.
After Cartoon Daddy (Matt Kakaley) broke behind the gate, Penji Hanover (Tim Tetrick) misbehaved in the first turn. That indiscretion impeded Arque Hanover (Brian Sears), while A Bettor Hat (Tyler Buter), not wanting to be left out, also broke.
Meanwhile, 17-10 favourite Artistic Major (Morrill Jr.), bothered by all that fun from post five, did gather himself. He slipped in behind pole-sitting My Spirit Soars (Dube) as that one led through early intervals of :28.4 and :57.4. Artistic Major thought about pulling pocket, but relented.
My Spirit Soars then saw a three-holed Americanprimetime (Jason Bartlett) move to the lead at the 1:26.1 three-quarters, taking a half-length advantage into the lane. Artistic Major edged out to chase that one and, despite drifting, went by easily.
The final margin was two lengths in 1:54, with Penji Hanover crossing the line third. He was then set down to sixth for his earlier transgression, mobbing My Spirit Soars from fourth to third.
For Artistic Major, an Art Major colt owned by (trainer) Steve Elliott, David Van Dusen, Michael Cimiglio, and Gunjan Patel, he’s now 3-for-8 this season.
(Yonkers Raceway)