The Yonkers Raceway driving colony will have a different look this weekend, as Jason Bartlett, Tyler Buter, Dan Dube, Pat Lachance and Jordan Stratton will all be competing in Paris.
The drivers’ absence will offer chances for other reinsmen – notably during Friday night’s New York Sire Stakes Hugh Grant Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings. The stakes event will be contested in Race 6 and Race 7. Each division will feature s purse of $83,937.
Art Rooney Pace winner Missile J (who will start from Post 6; Jim Morrill Jr. has been listed to drive) looms a solid choice in Friday’s first division. The American Ideal gelding is trained by Linda Toscano for co-owning stables KJ and Purple Haze. He has recorded six wins and nine on-the-board finishes from 10 seasonal starts, good for $227,675 in purse earnings.
Manny (PP5, Chris Lems) was getting to Missile J in their NYSS showdown at Buffalo Raceway, but he just missed by a neck. The American Ideal colt has recorded a NYSS win over Monticello Raceway.
Fine Diamond (PP1, George Brennan) recorded a NYSS win over Buffalo Raceway. Nox Vegas Bluechip (PP2, Andrew McCarthy), Ideal Kiss (PP3, Pat Berry), Roll Away Joe (PP4, Pat Berry), Endeavor (PP7, Steve Smith) and Carlos Danger (PP8, Brian Sears) round out the opening division.
Friday’s second NYSS division will include Artmagic (PP1, George Brennan), who was just beat in the Rooney and will be trying for his first win of the season on Friday.
Craftship (PP3, Scott Zeron) has a NYSS victory (at Monticello Raceway) and a second-place victory (Buffalo Raceway) included in his recent resume. Autotune Hanover (PP4, Jim Morrill Jr.) rebounded from a very poor effort in the lone elim for the Art Rooney with a pair of third-place efforts in NYSS events.
JK Heaven Sent (PP2, Eric Carlson), Concur (PP5, Brent Holland), Beaches De Vie (PP6, Steve Smith), Bottom Deals (PP7, Brian Sears) and Ideal Son (PP8, Vincent Ginsburg) complete the second event.
Two Drivers’ Cup races will take place Saturday at Vincennes in Paris. The first of those dashes has been carded as Race 6 (the post positions have been drawn, and appear below). The race will be contested at a distance of 2,100 meters (one and five-sixteenths miles). Approximate post time will be 4:03 p.m. (ET). The purse for the race will be 36,000 Euros (approximately $50,000 in US funds). The competition will culminate with a race on Sunday, June 26, which will also take place at Vincennes.
(With files from Yonkers)