Gingras, Burke hot at YR

May 08, 2007

Monday night's card, which was dominated by driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Mickey Burke, was marred by an accident that unseated three drivers and killed a horse. In that $20,000 fifth-race pace, Gustavo N seemed to stick a toe in the track, unseating driver Cat Manzi and causing PH Outlaw and Samurai Sam to do the same to David Miller and Jim Meittinis, respectively.

Gustavo N, a 7-year-old Down Under In The Pocket gelding, was euthanized. None of the three drivers suffered serious injury, but all took off their remaining assignments..

After Gingras and Mickey Burke combined to win Monday night's $18,000 sixth-race pace for $25,000 claimers at Yonkers Raceway, there was no reason for pomp, let alone circumstance. Not even for Sand Hill N--who rode a perfect, second-over trip for the 11-1 ($25) upset in 1:56.3--nor for owner Richard Annunziata.

Who knew the party was just getting started?

Gingras and Burke went on to a clean, back-half sweep of the night's 10-race program.

After Sand Hill N, Annunziata's Perdition ($9) was an-off-the-pace winner in the seventh race, the tri-featured $25,000, high-end ($50,000) claiming pace. The mile went in a season's-best 1:53.3

Annunziata earned the owner hat trick when Cerignola ($18.40) just outgamned 33-1 outsider Riegle Ideal in the tri-featured, $25,000, eighth-race pace, another $50,000 claimer. That one stuck his nose out in 1:54.4.

Driver and traianer combined to win the last of the evening's features with odds-on Dragon's Yankee ($3.40) in the ninth race. Runner-up in March's $70,000 final of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series, he prevailed from the pocket in a season's-best 1:54.1 for co-owners Sylvia Burke, Gregg Pistochini and John Chiovetta.

Only the fact that we ran out of product probably kept the roll from growing after Keystone Resident ($5) pulled the three hole and slapped the $15,000, 10th-race pace silly in a life-best 1:53.1. The last of the quintet is co-owned by Sylvia Burke, Darby's Edge Stable, Joe DiScala and M1 Stable.

For the record, the Gingras/Burke Pick-4 (races 7-10) returned $390, while the late double paid $19.60.

"There's no way I ever won five races in a row." Gingras said. "Maybe three in a row somewhere, but I can't remember. To do it all for the same trainer, and none on the front end on a half-mile...wow!"

"The first horse I won with (Sand Hill N) I thought had no shot, but things worked out for him," Gingras said. "I really liked the one in the last race (Keystone Resident) and I figured the one before (Dragon's Yankee) should be good."

Gingras, who won five races here March 5, began the night with 224 victories in 2007, good for sixth in the North American standings. Burke, meanwhile, had sent out 215 winners (before Monday), more than double the second-highest figure (Richard Moreau-100) in that category. (with files from Yonkers)

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