Get Over Lil retires at YR

Seven-year-old pacing mare Get Over Lil will officially be retired at Yonkers Raceway Saturday night, with the daughter of Walton Hanover concluding her career with 33 wins in 163 starts, with 20 of those victories coming in 33 attempts at Yonkers, and $326,804 in earnings.

Bred at Winbak Farm, Get Over Lil was a $12,000 yearling purchase by Linda Condon, thye late Adolph Steigerwald and Larry Kovacs. She was trained from day one by Condon's father, Sonny Dancer.

"Dad picked 'Lil' out of the catalogue," said Condon. "He liked her breeding. He made all the decisions, only thinking about what was best for her. That's why we kept her off the big tracks."

A look at the pedigree suggests "Lil's" Gotham glory was to be expected. Her second dam, Sandra Lil, was a hard-knocking lass on the Yonkers-Roosevelt circuit in the mid to late 1970s.

Get Over Lil made many of her starts at the added distance of 1 1/16th miles at Yonkers, and she retires with a one-mile mark of 1:55, set last April at Freehold.

"She had this unbelievable wicked, circle-the-field brush that made her special," said Jay Randall, who drove the mare many times. "It's not that she couldn't leave the gate, but when you have one that has such a quick burst in and out of hte final turn--especially with the longer stretch at Yonkers--you had to play to her strength."

Get Over Lil currently resides at Blairwood Farm in Columbus, N.J., and is scheduled to be bred next season at Perretti Farms to 2005 Horse of the Year Rocknroll Hanover.

On Saturday, Get Over Lil will first lead the post parade for the featured Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares, and then return to the winner's circle for the final time where her shoes will be pulled and Yonkers management will present her with a blanket. (with files from Yonkers)

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