Yonkers Raceway again hosted New York Sire Stakes action on Friday night, with four divisions of two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in the $197,500 Jim Meagher Pace.
The races, worth $49,375 each, honoured the memory of the Raceway's long-time corporate controller, with his family in attendance for the evening. Minimal suspense was to be found in any of the events, as the four public choices went down the road by a combined 15 lengths.
Friday night’s NYSS winners were...
My Last Laugh (by Sealed N Delivered); co-owners Matthias Meinzinger & Jerry Silva/trainer Ray Schnittker/driver Stephane Bouchard; 1:57.3.
Giacometti (by Bettors Delight); owner John Fielding/trainer Ed Hart/driver Bouchard; 1:57.3.
Diamond Stick Pin (by Bettors Delight); co-owners Conrad Zurich, Edwin Gold, Purple Haze Stb/trainer Jessica Okusko/driver Howard Okusko; 1:57.
Hay Goodlooking (by Art Major); co-owners Samuel Dotro, Ted Gewertz, Deborah Brunet/driver Gates Brunet; 1:57.3.
Friday night's pair of $40,000 Open Handicaps – for trotters and distaff pacers – went to 17-1 proposition Nahcotta Jude (Steve Smith), who snapped pace-setting Yankee Nola (Jim Pantaleano) on the money in 1:58, and Elusive Prey (Bouchard).
For Nahcotta Jude, a seven-year-old Armbro Scorpion gelding trained by Joe Vance for ZMW Racing, it was his fifth win in 23 seasonal starts. He returned $37.80, becoming a half-millionaire in the process.
Elusive Prey, as the 9-5 choice, made the lead just after intermission, then widened to defeat Black Brinny (Jason Bartlett) by two lengths in 1:53.1.
For Elusive Prey, a four-year-old daughter of Western Hanover co-owned by Joe and Joann Thomson and Rebecca Williams and trained by Kevin Johnson, she returned $5.70 for her fifth win (second consecutive) in 15 '08 tries.
(Yonkers)