Hula's Z Tam swiftest soph in NYSS

New York Sire Stakes continued Monday night, with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $275,512 Mount  Vernon Pace for 3-year-old fillies.

Defending NYSS champ Hula's Z Tam (Pat Lachance) turned in by the fastest effort of the evening, first stinging--then snapping--Galimony (Dave Miller) in the ($92,304) third division.

What figured to be a match-race was just that, with pole-sitting "Hula" releasing the odds-on Galimony only after a :27.2 opening quarter-mile.

She then stalked her rival to the lane, ducking inside before prevailing by a head in 1:55.4. Enduring Delight (Cat Manzi) was third, beaten a couple of  lengths.

Hula's Z Tam, a daughter of Bettor's Delight co-owned (and trained) by Lachance, Z Tam Stables and Margaret Dey, returned $4.10 for her third win in  five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $4.40 (local season's low gimmick), with the triple returning $17.

        "She's just a professional race horse, and has been right from the start," Lachance said. "She hadn't raced a about a month (one qualifier), so I decided to  let the other filly, who's also very talented, cut the mile."

With nine victories and three seconds in a dozen career starts (earnings over $400,000), "I really can't say enough about her."

Max's Leading Lady (George Brennan) rolled off cover, winning the first ($90,604) division in 1:57.2. Love and Honor (Doug R. Ackerman), the 7-5  favorite, was dealing with unwanted advances from Chatty Kathy (Corey Braden). All the while, Max's Leading Lady, leaving from post position No. 4, lurked from  second-over.

She went wide and outgamed Love and Honor by three-quarters of a length, with "Kathy" third.

"Max," a daughter of Art  Major co-owned by (trainer) Bob Horowitz, Stephen Demeter and Blue Chip Bloodstock, returned $6.60 (second choice)  for her second win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $20.60, with the triple returning $41.50.

"Bob said to me, 'Any sort of a trip,' and I was able to get her one,"  Brennan said. "I just gave here a chance, and she took it from there." 

Shaky Hanover (Eric Goodell), flashing some of her excellent frosh from, stuck her tongue out on the money, prevailing in the second ($92,304) Mount  Vernon event in 1:58.

After an elongated delay when Delightful Syd refused to hit the pace and wound up scratched-lame, "Shaky"--now from post No. 5--chased leader  Angel From Above (Corey Callahan) while second-up. The speed began to tire despite fractions of :30.4, 1:01 and 1:30, with Shaky Hanover just getting the better  of a pylon-skimming Buy Art (Brennan)

Angel From Above held third, with 3-5 choice Tia Marie Hanover (Jim Marohn Jr.) an uncovered fourth.

Shaky Hanover, a Bettor's Delight lass trained by Josh Green for co-owners William & Jack Heinz and Baron Racing, returned $8.10 (second choice)  for her first win in seven '10 tries. The exacta paid $46.60, with the triple returning $166.50.

"She's been having some breaking problems, so I wanted to baby her out of there," Goodell said. "She was much better in her last start (Tompkins-Geers at Tioga), and I figured Corey's filly would probably come back to us."

 Sire stakes events resume here Tuesday night--$278,050 New Rochelle Trot (3-year-old fillies) and Friday night--$245,456 Clyde Hirt Pace (2-year-old  fillies) (Yonkers)