New York Sire Stakes invaded Yonkers Raceway Thursday night, with the $285,120 Jim Meagher Pace for two-year-old colts and geldings.
The event, honouring the memory of the Raceway's long-time corporate controller, went as a fearsome foursome.
The twosome of trainer Linda Toscano and driver Tim Tetrick won half the battles, with odds-on choices Doctor Butch ($2.10) and Swift As A Shadow ($2.80).
Doctor Butch, best in his statebred weight class thus far, was unpressured in the second ($71,605) division. Leaving from post position four, he worked his way around Americasgottalent (Jason Bartlett) just after a :28.2 opening quarter-mile. From there, a soft :57.4 half and 1:26.4 three-quarters gave the fave a length lead into the lane.
Doctor Butch then widened to 2-1/2 lengths at the wire, which he found in 1:54.4. Second went to Americasgottalent, with Artist Night (Yannick Gingras), Thirty Two Red (Ray Schnittker) and Track Master D (George Brennan) rounding out the payees.
For Doctor Butch, a an Art Major colt owned by Ken Jacobs, he's now 4-for-6 (with a pair of seconds) this summer (earnings in excess of $135,000).
Trainer and driver then teamed with Swift As A Shadow in the evening's final ($71,605) sire stakes soiree. Leaving from post position two, he retook from Royce Blue Chip (Bartlett) after a :29.1 opening quarter. Then, similarly-tepid intervals of :59.2, 1:28.3 and 1:57 made Swift as a Shadow a couple of lengths better than his rivals.
Royce Blue Chip saved second, with Caution Signs (Cat Manzi), Major Blue Coat (Schnittker) and Dreamin A Dream (Pat Lachance) grabbing the remainder.
For Swift As A Shadow, a homebred son of Bettors Delight owned by Winbak Farm, it was his third win in five seasonal starts.
Thursday night's opening ($71,605) sire stakes event had Framed Art (Mark MacDonald, $4.70) impressively overcome his outside draw. In play from post seven, he made the lead around 9-10 favourite Deny Deny Deny (Tetrick) before a :27.3 opening quarter.
After that, he meandered past a :56.3 intermission and 1:26.1 three-quarters. He turned a two-length lead off the final turn into 2-1/4 lengths at the line (1:55.1). Deny Deny Deny chased the winner in vain, with Tijuana Party (Montrell Teague), Zingers Laugh (Schnittker) and Manhattan Benny (Stephane Bouchard) also making appearance money.
For Framed Art, an Artiscape colt co-owned by (trainer) Andrew and Arthur Stafford, it was his second win in five '12 tries.
The third ($70,305) statebred event had pole-sitting, 11-10 fave Sir Carys Z Tam (Lachance, $4.20) get by second choice Bet The Moon (Bartlett) late, winning by a half-length in a maiden-breaking 1:54.4. Twin B Flirt (Teague), Story Book (Larry Stalbaum) and Clustercuss (MacDonald) divided the remainder.
For Sir Carys Z Tam, a son of Bettors Delight co-owned by (trainer) Lachance, Z Tam Stables and Ira Rosenblum, it was that first win in four frosh efforts.
(Yonkers Raceway)