Driver George Brennan drew a pair of aces for the pair of M Life finals scheduled on Tuesday (March 23) and Wednesday (March 24) at Yonkers Raceway.
The leading driver at the track, with 66 wins, drew post 1 in the $57,800 final for three- and four-year-old fillies and mares, as well as in the $58,400 companion race for similarly-aged boys.
Series standout Pettycoat Business was programmed as the 8-5 morning line choice with Brennan in the bike for Tuesday’s M Life final for the girls, carded as race six. The four-year-old Art Major mare comes into the race off consecutive wins in legs two and three of the series for trainer Scott DiDomenico and owners Michael Robinson, Robert Mondillo, RBH Ventures and Gilbilly Stable.
A week ago, Pettycoat Business marched down the road in 1:54.1 to post the fastest winning mile of the series. She also owns the fastest career mark in the field by far, a 1:50.3 victory at The Red Mile in 2020.
“I generally don’t pick off a Ronnie Burke horse (Turnthefrownaround) — we have been such a team for so many years — but I think she is faster than the other ones,” said Brennan. “She is a little on the aggressive side, which I don’t like, but she went last week in (1:)54, which I think is just faster than the rest can go.
“I hope I can control it. About four starts back, she had an outside post and I just looped her right to the lead. So she has that speed. With $50,000 on the line, I just might have to get aggressive with her again.”
Pettycoat Business is not the only talented young lady in the field. Starting just to her outside in post 2 is Turnthefrownaround. The Ron Burke-trained mare seeks a series sweep and her fifth win of 2021. Joe Bongiorno drives the 3-1 morning line option. The other multiple-leg winner in the field is Paiges Girl. She started twice in the series and won both times for the team of driver Scott Zeron and trainer Lance Hudson. The Captaintreacherous daughter will begin from post 5 on Tuesday.
Rounding out the field from the inside out are: Flirty Forty (post 3, Brent Holland), Sound Idea (post 4, Jordan Stratton), Ready Set Rock (post 6, Austin Siegelman), Dragon Roll (post 7, Jason Bartlett) and Avaya Hanover (post 8, Dan Dube).
Brennan again finds himself with the pole position in Wednesday’s final for three- and four-year-old colts, horses and geldings. He’ll steer Lous Sweetrevenge as part of a 6-5 morning line entry along with the Ron Burke-trained Rolling With Sam (post 5).
Brennan drove both geldings in each of the three preliminary legs of the series, and had to make a choice in the final.
“I like both horses,” said Brennan. “Lous Sweetrevenge, like the mare I’m racing for Scottie DiDomenico on Tuesday, he’s really lazy, but last week, he came off the car from the inside really good. He got pressured and I had to go 27 (seconds). I wish I didn’t get pushed that quarter because I think I could’ve given Diamondbeach more of a fight if I didn’t have to use my horse. He’s in a good spot and hopefully I can get him off on the right foot."
A winner in the first leg of the M Life, Lous Sweetrevenge was a no-match second behind multiple leg winner Diamondbeach last week, but that foe was unlucky at the draw and will have to overcome post 8. It was a similar fate for fellow multiple-leg winners Scootnroll and Dragon Said, who drew outside posts 6 and 7, respectively.
“My job is to hold the 2 off, because he has speed, too,” said Brennan, referring to Cigar Smoking Tony with Jason Bartlett driving. “The 7 and 8 will both be coming at some point. Hopefully I can work out the best possible trip.”
Salt Life (post 3, Mark MacDonald) and Retour Au Jeu (post 4, Jordan Stratton) complete the field of eight in the final, carded as Wednesday's seventh race.
Brennan also drives the 9-5 morning line chalk Somebeachsomefra from post 6 in Tuesday’s consolation event for the ladies, and the 3-1 second choice Sailboat Hanover from pylon position on Wednesday in the consolation event for the guys. Both races go for a purse of $25,000.
Tuesday and Wednesday both feature 10-race cards with a starting post time of 7:15 p.m.
(Yonkers Raceway)