Undefeated freshman divisional champion Hes Watching leads a list of 11 three-year-old colts/geldings into the 23rd edition of the Yonkers Raceway’s Art Rooney Pace.
The total purse of this season’s Rooney is $380,000, with a pair of $40,000 elimination races this Saturday night leading to the as-guaranteed $300,000 final a week later (Saturday, May 31st).
The elims go as Races 9 and 11 on the 13-race card, with Hes Watching making his seasonal pari-mutuel debut from post position two in the opening elimination. The first four finishers in each race qualify for the final.
Here are the fields for the eliminations:
1st elim (9th race)
1. Unlocked
2. Hes Watching
3. Forty Five Red
4. Gold Rocks
5. Bondi Hanover
6. Stevensville
2nd elim (11th race)
1. Ideal Fashion
2. Some Playa
3. All Bets Off
4. Thereisapaceforus
5. Maxi Bon
“He’s right where I want him to be,” Hes Watching’s co-owner/trainer Dave Menary said. “Both of his (Mohawk) qualifiers were tremendous. Last week (Friday), the weather was cool and windy, and we couldn’t have asked for any more (1:52.1).
“We’re looking forward to coming back (Yonkers),” Menary added. “He loves the track (3-for-3 in 2013, including a season-ending New York Sire Stakes championship), and we’re anxious to have him start the season.”
The son of American Ideal is 8-for-8 in his career (13-for-13 including qualifiers), having earned $291,722 as a freshman.
The $124,744 final of the Lismore Pace for three-year-old fillies also goes the final night of May. This Saturday offers two, $20,000, five-to-pare-down-to-four eliminations races. Here are the fields:
1st elim (4th race)
1. It Was Fascination
2. Bettor Business
3. A Little Starstruk
4. Southwind Silence
5. Palm Beach
2nd elim (6th race)
1. Also Encouraging
2. Tyra
3. JK Molly
4. Gentlemens Delight
5. Rustys Bliss
(Yonkers Raceway)