Thursday night offered the first Westchester watching of the statebreds, with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $218,620 New York Sire Stakes Art Watson Pace for 3-year-old fillies. Five forays went postward through light rain and fog, with leading driver Jason Bartlett bookending the board. Bartlett won the first $44,044 division, going the distance with the favored Bet On Luck ($5.20). The Bettor's Delight lass, co-owned (with Kovach Stables) and trained by George Teague Jr., went the distance from post position two. She widened to defeat Chesca Girl (Jordan Stratton) by three lengths in a season's-best 1:57.2. Bartlett sat pocketed in the final $44,044 Sire Stakes event before going by with pole-sitting On the Glass in 1:57.4. The daughter of Art Major, trained by Ed Hart for co-owners Joe DiScala and Cynthia Lynn Masseri, returned $5.40 (second choice) for her first win in five seasonal starts. Eagle Way (Jim Morrill Jr.), last season's NYSS frosh prom queen, cut the mile as the 9-10 choice but was outmuscled by a length late. "They're both very talented fillies," Bartlett said. "They also drew well, and that always helps. I wasn't sure I was going to go by Jimmy's horse (Eagle Way), but mine showed me something." Bartlett, by the way, won five races on the 13-race card. Thursday night's other NYSS events, worth $43,244, $43,244 and $44,044, respectively, were won by.., --Witch is Bettor (by Bettor's Delight); co-owners (trainer) Robert Horowitz/driver Kyle DiBenedetto; 1:58.1/$4.90; --Up Front Kelli Jo (by Bettor's Delight); owner Ed Mullinax/trainer Perry Simser/driver Dan Cappello Jr.; 1:56.2/$8.20. New York Sire Stakes continue Friday night, with the state's glamour division in the $220,054 Hugh Grant for soph pacing colts/geldings, divided into a happy half-dozen (races 3,4,5,7,8 and 9). Hay Goodlooking, the '08 frosh NYSS champ and track record-holder for his division, drew post two in the second ($36,442) event. Trainer Gates Brunet does the honors himself as the Art Major colt looks to add to an eight-for-12 career resume. Of course, Saturday night features both the $421,850 Art Rooney and $293,970 Lismore Paces. (Yonkers)
|




