Favorite grinds out narrow victory in $65,000 final

Ridge Jumper rated, rebuffed and reigned in Friday night's $65,000 final of the Petticoat Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-old fillies and mares at Yonkers Raceway.

With Greg Grismore driving for trainer Mickey Burke, Ridge Jumper had schnozz on starting gate from post position No. 5 (in one notch after Lady Sometimes came up ill).

Ridge Jumper--the 13-10 people's preference--went up and over pole-sitter Prime Suspect (Stephane Bouchard) well before a pokey :29.1 opening quarter-mile. She then cozied the cotillion with a :59.1 intermission before second-choice Premier Elecktrah (Jason Bartlett) rushed out of fifth.

The two faves--who went a combined 5-for-5 in series prelims--dropped the gloves to the tune of a :27.3 third quarter. Ridge Jumper put away her stubborn sorority sister in and out of the final turn, but Prime Suspect was primed for the passing lane. 

Ridge Jumper and Prime Suspect had the stretch to themselves, with Ridge Jumper lasting by a neck in 1:55.1. Premier Elecktrah was third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, with Hannah Isabel (Pat Lachance) and Lady's Secret (Jeff Gregory) grabbing the small change. JD's Lady Lynn (Jordan Stratton) and Role Reversal (Jim Pantaleano) rounded out the roster.

For Ridge Jumper, a 4-year-old daughter of Ironridge owned by Michael Silber, she returned $4.60 for her fourth win in 11 seasonal starts...third in succession. She led a $22.60 exacta and $51.50 triple.

"I wasn't trying to go that slow," Grismore said. "That made her sort of lazy on the lead, but the challenge (Premier Elecktrah) woke her up.

"I was very worried off the final turn, because I could hear Stephane's horse on my back, but my (mare) dug in. She was sharp the whole series."       

The consolatioms, worth $25,000 and $15,000, respectively, went to Fox Valley Sarong (Bouchard, $3.60) in 1:56.1 and Lislea Sophia (Pat Berry, $3.60) in 1:57.3.

Friday's program also included this night's usual $30,000 co-features, the Open Trot and Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace. San Remo Kosmos (Berry, $6.30) was a solid, first-up winner in the featured trot, holding off No More Gold N (Grismore) by a half-length in 1:57.1.

It was the first board placement in five '08 tries for the 5-year-old S  J's Photo gelding, now approaching $350,000 in career cash.

The weekly distaff derby went to J K Pure Pearl (Bartlett, $20.40), who went the distance--third consecutive victory--from the eight-hole in 1:55.4..The 4-year-old daughter of Bettor's Delight defeated Jan's Luck (Grismore) by a half-length.

Saturday night's card is the richest of the season to date, led by the $67,000 final of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series (3- and 4-year-old colts/geldings) and three, $50,000 divisions in the opening round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series. (Yonkers)

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