Dandy Ideal won for the third straight time in New York Sire Stakes competition when he captured the $241,667 event for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers in 1:51.3 at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Friday, Aug. 8.
Starting from the pole position, Dandy Ideal and driver Jason Bartlett settled in the third position as 65-1 shot Red Blooded (Mark MacDonald) hustled out to the early lead from post seven. Courts On Fire (Yannick Gingras) pressed on two-wide after leaving out from post two and overtook Red Blooded beyond the :27.4 quarter, but Dandy Ideal tracked Courts On Fire's bid and went by him on the second turn.
Once he had command, Dandy Ideal kept it through the half in :56 and the three-quarters in 1:23.4, then cruised home in :27.4 to defeat Courts On Fire by a length and three-quarters. Thirsty Thursday (Tyler Buter) got up for third more than six lengths behind, followed by Red Blooded and Silky Choice (Ridge Warren).
The second-place finisher in the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes at Yonkers earlier this year, Dandy Ideal is an American Ideal-Ok Heavenly gelding trained by Hunter Oakes for owners Susan Oakes of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Thaddeus Wier of East Aurora, New York and Alan Johnston of Syracuse, New York. Bred by Dr. Stephen Dey III with Dandy Farms Inc., Dandy Ideal has nine victories, four seconds and two thirds from 19 career starts and has earned $495,538.
Dandy Ideal paid $2.10 to win. He was atop a $4.80 exacta and a $15.80 trifecta.
In addition to his Sire Stakes victory, Bartlett also swept the two $27,778 New York Excelsior Series divisions for sophomore pacing males. Baleville Bomber (Huntsville-Actress Hanover) prevailed by a neck over Mr Huggins (Jordan Stratton) in 1:55 for trainer Nick Devita and Digging For Gold (Huntsville-Gold Orchid N) defeated Ima Perefct Choice (Ridge Warren) by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.1 for trainer George Ducharme.
New York Sire Stakes and Excelsior Series action returns to Yonkers next Tuesday for three-year-old filly trotters.
Yonkers is currently operating on a Monday/Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. The track will also have a program on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)