Summertime Lea sets 1:54.1 Yonkers mark

The final week of New York Sires Stakes action before the championship finals got underway on Monday night (Sept. 10), with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $286,060 event for 2-year-old pacing fillies, with four divisions.

 

Odds-on favorite JK Beauty (Tim Tetrick, $2.60) strolled from first-over in the $71,840 opening division,. Leaving from post position four, she went right on by pacesetting Know It All (John Stark Jr.) en route to a 5 1/4-length, 1:56.2 victory. Road Bet (Brian Sears) was the best of the rest, with Rochas Hanover (George Brennan) third and Faster Faster (Jim Morrill Jr.) fourth.

 

For JK Black Beauty, a daughter of Bettor's Delight owned by 3 Brothers Stables and trained by Linda Toscano, it was her second win in as many tries (first NYSS effort, both in identical times). The exacta paid $5.70, the triple returned $14.60 and the superfecta paid $68.50.

 

The second ($70,540) sire stakes event saw a free-wheeling Freetime (Andy Miller, $3) finish what she started. In play from post three, she worked around Silk Pajamas (Jason Bartlett), then went on a 1:56 joyride. Freetime easily whipped Silk Pajamas by 3 3/4 lengths, with Exclamation (Morrill Jr.) nearly three lengths farther back in third.

 

For Freetime, an Artiscape lass co-owned by her driver and Triple D Stables and trained by the driver's wife, Julie, she's now 4-for-8 this season with earnings in excess of $141,000. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $4.40, with the triple cancelled due to the abbreviated field (down to five after a scratch).

 

Monday's third ($71,840) division found Tetrick and Toscano teaming again, this time with even-money Give Me an Amen ($4). Leaving from post two, she held off pocket-sitting Brussels Hanover (Brennan), which she did by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.4. Mollie Mile (Morrill Jr.) was third and Art Ideal (Bartlett) finished fourth.

 

For Give Me an Amen, an Art Major miss co-owned by Martin Steinberg, Fred Wallace and Stake Your Claim Stable, it was her fourth win (with three seconds) in eight '12 tries. The exacta paid $8, the triple (three wagering choices in order) returned $22.20 and the superfecta paid $115.50.

 

The evening's final ($71,840) foray produced yet more chalk...and a track record for this weight class. In what turned out to be a match race from the get-go, Summertime Lea (Morrill Jr., $2.90) sat pocketed to second-choice Hit the Curb (Bartlett) through speedy intervals of :27.1, :56 and 1:24.2. She then edged past her stubborn foe by a length in 1:54.1. The effort knocked a tick off the previous local record for frosh fillies, jointly held by the talented troika of City Delight ('10), See You at Peelers ('10) and Handsoffmycookie ('11). Park N Orchard (Sears) was third, beaten nearly 11 lengths.

 

For Summertime Lea, a daughter of Lislea co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Earl Smith and Frank Baldachino, her third consecutive (NYSS) victory was her seventh win in eight summertime starts. The exacta paid $4.50, with the triple (three wagering choices in order) returning $11.20.

 

New York Sire Stakes resume downstate Tuesday night, with the $340,268 Joe Goldstein Trot (3-year-old fillies) and Thursday night with the $286,600 Lew Barasch Trot (2-year-old colts/geldings). (Yonkers)