Back in ancient times—1964—it was decreed there would be a race honouring one of the titans of the industry.
Hence, Yonkers Raceway began the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace, Westchester’s premier event for ‘open’ two-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
The race, either as a single dash or split stake, gives props to the Hall of Fame founder of Hanover Shoe Farms and has been won by some of the fastest freshmen in harness-racing history.
The Sheppard’s 2019 incarnation begins with 19 hopefuls in three, $25,000 Saturday night (July 6th) eliminations, going consecutively as races 3,4 and 5.
The first two finishers in each elim, plus the two fastest third-place finishers, return for the $120,250 finale, set for next Saturday night (July 13th).
Some of the entrants already possess resumes.
In the first elimination, So So De Vie (American Ideal/George Brennan, post 3) has a New York Sire Stakes start, while American Rebel (American Ideal/Jordan Stratton, post 5) has done that foe one better, with a pair of NYSS tries.
Han Solo (Mister Big/Jason Bartlett, post 1) was a debuting 1:58.1 overnight winner at Saratoga.
For those who look at the sticker price, Cheerio Hill (Captaintreacherous/Tyler Buter, post 6) sold (as Captainfrightful) for $105,000, more than any other of the plebes in this season’s event.
Second-elim standouts include Save Me A Dance (Heston Blue Chip/Bartlett, post 4), a sire stakes winner (1:56.1) at Monticello this past Monday afternoon (July 1st). He was joined in the NYSS win column by Cigars and Port (So Surreal/Mark MacDonald, post 5), who traversed the Catskills in 1:56.3
Level Up (Art Major/Stratton, post 2) missed an inch in another Monti statebred event the same day.
The final elimination for the Sheppard includes Hunter Hill (Somebeachsomewhere/Buter, post 4), who has taken down a pair of Philly overnights in identical 1:55 efforts.
(Yonkers)