Defending NYSS champ Hula's Z Tam wins

New York Sire Stakes action continued downstate Tuesday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $282,812 Art Watson Pace for 3-year-old fillies. Four divisions--at $70,703 a pop--went postward through the sporadic spritzing.

 

Defending NYSS champ Hula's Z Tam (Pat Lachance) elected to sit pocketed to Crown Lady (George Brennan) in the third event...and that nearly cost her. Crown Lady came under assault from a first-up Delightful Syd (Dave Miller), barely carrying the "Hula" where she needed to go. Hula's Z Tam, outmuscled 91-1 shot Lindy's Bandit (Stephane Boichard) by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:55.3 and is now 8-for-11 lifetime. Delightful Syd held for third.

 

For "Hula," a Bettor's Delight lass trained by Lachance for himself, Margaret Dey and Z Tam Racing, she returned $3.20 for her second win in four  seasonal starts. The exacta paid $168.50, the triple returned $596 and the superfecta (Barks Like a Dog [Ray Schnittker] was fourth) paid $2,976.

 

The second grouping took an unexpected twist when 1-2 favorite Shaky Hanover (Jason Bartlett) broke leaving. That left Rough Sketch (Cat Manzi) in control for the duration. She defeated Chatty Kathy (Corey Braden) by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:56.3, with Freedom Crossing (Chris Long) third.

 

For Rough Sketch, a daughter of Art Major trained by Eddie Lohmeyer for co-owners Bob and Lauren Tucker, she returned $8.40 (second choice) for her first win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $43.20, with the triple returning $103.50.

 

Tuesday night's other NYSS winners were: Anndrovette (by Riverboat King); co-owner (trainer) Taylor Gower & John DiSomma/driver Pat Berry; (life-best) 1:55.1, and Galimony (by Artiscape), owner Stake Your Claim Stable/trainer Linda Toscao/driver Miller; 1:54.3. (Yonkers Raceway)