Five divisions for Empire State's best 3-year-old fillies

For the second consecutive evening, Yonkers Raceway hosted the Empire's leading 3-year-old fillies, and on this night it was the pacers in the $244,035 Art Watson divided into $48,807 quintuplets.

Diva Delight (Keith Kash Jr.) stung, then stalked, odds-on choice Hannah Isabel (Yannick Gingras) in the first division before going by the favorite midstretch. She won by a half-length in 1:54.3.

Diva Delight, a daughter of Bettor's Delight co-owned by Jack and William Heinz and trained by Jim Perry, returned $8.70 as the solid second choice. She has won half of her eight seasonal starts.

Tuesday night's second NYSS division found Ron Pierce, in his quest to make toll money, prevail with the down-the-road (1:55.4) Kissing Bandit ($9.80). It was the first win in five '08 tries for the Art Major miss, trained by Erv Miller for Deo Volente Farms.

Pierce doubled his pleasure (with a scheduled Tim Tetrick drive) when Determined Lady ($9.10) won the evening's third Watson event in 1:56.3. The victress sat pocketed to Allamerican Celeb (Greg Grismore) and found the passing lane before the leader tired.

Determined Lady, a daughter of Pacific Fella, was trained by Wayne Hughes for co-owners Frnk Buffardi and Vincent Finch.

Artimittateslife ($2.90) rolled in the fourth statebred soireee, going the distance (1:55.4) for a third consecutive (NYSS) victory. Stephane  Bouchard--who made it down from Vernon after guding Yonkers Trot winner Napoleon to a public workout disguised as a sire stakes event--did the honors for trainer Ed Hart and Canadian co-owners Robert Young, Brian Barton and Paul Gazzola.

"They said the flight (from Utica to White Plains) would take an hour," Bouchard said. "It took an hour and 15 minutes, so I missed the (third division here) by about five minutes. Other than night, it was a good night."       

"Artimittates" has won five of her eight '08 tries with earnings in excess of $275,000.

The evening's final NYSS event saw JK Majorette ($5.90) give Bouchard his second NYSS win during an abbreviated local work night. The daughter of Art Major just did edge by a stubborn 47-1 Bet The Ranch (Jim Morrill Jr.) in 1:56.1.

Linda Toscano trained "Majorette"--now four-for-seven in '08--for 3 Brothers Stables. (Yonkers)

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