New faces win at Yonkers

Yonkers Raceway's 10-race soiree Saturday featured its customary trio of $21,000 Open Handicaps, and since two of last week's winners (Miss Galvinator A and Lhasa Muscles) successfully strutted their stuff last night across the river and the other (Western Prince) took the night off, some news faces were going to be ready for their close-ups.

The weekly distaff derby saw Missthrill (Mack Beckwith) sent off as the 17-10 favorite from post position number four. She left alerltly, as did pole-sitting Four Starzzzz Ittt (Greg Grismore). The latter two-moved through a 28-second opening quarter-mile and maintained the advantage at the :58 intermission.

After the halftime entertainment, the complexion of the race change dramatically. Whambam N (Jim Marshall III), a 20-1 proposition, went uncovered, then up and over Cousin "Ittt" like the leader was just sitting there.

Whambam N rolled past the 1:27.1 three-quarters and actually slapped 2 1/2 lengths on her rivals turning for home. However, Stonbridge Kisses (Stephane Bouchard), racing second-over, quickly closed the margin. She edged past the gutsy longshot, winning by a length in 1:56.

Whambam N held second, with Tactical Rein N (Pat Lachance) grabbing third from third-over, three lengths behind the winner. A badly-shuffled Missthrill and Van Anna (Chip Noble) completed the cashers.

Stonebridge Kisses, a now-7-year-old daughter of Artiscape, put together a five-win, $120,000-plus season a year ago for owner Martin Scharf and trainer Mark Ford. She returned $8.20 as the third choice, leading a $120.50 exacta and $1,220 triple.

While leading driver Bouchard teamed with leading trainer Ford in the Filly and Mare Open 'Cap Pace, Bouchard and trained Antonella Galie combined to win the Open Handicap Trot with Calchip's Muscle.

The 6-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding strolled to the lead from post three and put his six rivals (Sky Watch was a judges' scratch) to sleep with a :29.3 quarter and 1:01 half.

The :58.3 back half (three-quarters went in 1:29.4) was a mere formality with Calchip's Muscle holding off a two-move effort of the mare Ginger Girl (Claude Huckabone III) by a safe three-quarters of a length. Witch and Famous (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) was third, beaten a langth, while early breaker Super Conway (Larry Stalbaum) and tepid 2-1 choice Sir Perserverance (Jeff Gregory) made some weekend wampum.

Calchip's Mucle, owned by Diane Giuliano, just finished a carrer-best '06 with 11 victories and more than $97,000 in earnings. He returned $8.60 as the second choice, with the exacta paying $30, with the triple returning $314.

Much like "Calchip," John Adams was left to his own devices in the Open Handicap Pace, and--despite being dead for 175 years this July 4th--he made his foes pay.

With Eric Goodell driving for trainer Erv Miller, the 5-year-old Cam's Card Shark gelding left hard from post No. 5. He reached the quarter in :28 and the half-mile in :56.4. Chewy Gross, assigned the eight-hole, tucked fourth before trying his luck first-over.

However, John Adams threw a :28.2 third panel, then had three lengths to play with entering the lane. He prevailed by a tiring three-quarters of a length in 1:54, holding off Our First Falcon N (Ron Cushing) and Syncro's Z Tam (Lachance).

SPF Forty (Beckwith) and Stock Market Wiz (Gregory) also made money, the latter as the 3-2 people's choice. The dull effort was the first local try for Stock Market Wiz since September of 2003. The 7-year-old son of Three Wizzards won the '02 New York Sire Stakes final here as a frosh colt.

For John Adams, who won four races and more than $106,000 a season ago, this payday moved him past the $300,000 career earnings plateau. Co-owned by Neptune and MJG Stables, he returned $12.20. The exacta was good for $49, with the triple worth $182. (Yonkers)

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