Riggins, Bullville Powerful lead NYSS winners

Yonkers Raceway saw the state's glamour division for the first time this season, with Monday night's $235,663 New York Sire Stakes Hugh Grant Pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings, and Riggins made short work--at a short price--of his six rivals in the third of five $47,132 divisions.

With trainer Ray Schnittker doing the honors, Riggins--who broke early in his elimination for the Art Rooney Pace last month--made an immediate lead here from post position four. He put up unpressured intervals of  :28, :58 and 1:26.3 before easily holding second-choice Grab Your Keys (Greg Grismore) at bay by a length in 1:54.3. Cry For Cash (Jason Bartlett) was a best-of-the-rest third.

For Riggins, an Art Major colt co-ownerd by Buffalo Boy's Stable, Frank Baldassare, David Pepin and Howard Taylor, it was his second (consecutive) win in eight seasonal starts. He returned $2.30, leading a $5.90 exacta and $29.20 triple.

Bullville Powerful (Yannick Gingras) returned to the statebred ranks and had few issues in the final NYSS event. Leaving from post five, he strolled through soft stations of :28, :57 and 1:25.1 before disposing of pocket-sitting Sailig Cruise (Jordan Stratton) by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:53...the fastest of the five Empire entities. On the Brink (Pat Lachance) was third.

Steve Crevani trained for Crevani Farms as the soph son of Bettor's Delight won his seventh race in a dozen '08 tries. Bullville Powerful paid $2.40, with the exacta returning $7.20 and the triple worth $23.20

Monday's other Grant groupings went to...      

--Cessna Flight,g (by Dream Away); co-owners (trainer) Phillip Fluet and Keith Franklin/driver Bartlett; 1:53.4/$4;

 --Cheyenne Barry,g (by Bettor's Delight); (lessee) The Cheyenne Gang/trainer Robbie Siegelman/driver Gingras; 1:54.1/$10.60;

--Jagger Blue Chip (by Bettor's Delight); co-owners (trainer/driver) Schniitker, Pepin, Steve Arnold, Blue Crue Racing; 1:55.2/$6.10. (Yonkers)

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