Tremendous Hit, JK Pure Pearl win Yonkers features

May 10, 2008

An invincible invader and a Westchester workhorse won Friday night's soggy, $30,000 co-features at Yonkers Raceway.

Tremendous Hit, out every step, grinded by in the Open Handicap Trot. With trainer/driver Joe Anderson accompanying from the Land of Lincoln, Tremendous Hit--in his first start at a track not named Balmoral since last October--floated out from post positiion six.

Armbro Barrister (Stephane Bouchard) and Nahcotta Jude (Jim Marohn) played leapfrog on the lead through a :28.1 opening quarter mile. Beach Nut Brand (Jeff Gregory) tried to leave, but jumped it off and was banished to the back of the field.

"Barrister" motioned a :59 intermission and 1:28.1 three quarters, with Tremendous Hit methodically marching along and last week's winner, No More Gold N (Greg Grismore), on his back.

Armbro Barrister took a 1 1/2-length lead into the lane, but was about to get waterlogged. Tremendous Hit, the 17-10 favorite, surged to the lead, edging to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:57.3. Beach Nut Brand, regrouping from the early misbehave, closed from third-over to snap No More Gold N for second.

Armbro Barrister and Tell Me a Story (Jim Pantaleano) completed the cashers.

For Tremendous Hit, owned by Gerrie Tucker and making his first small-track try since 2006, he returned $5.40 for his sixth win in 14 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $42, with the triple worth $139.50.

Friday night's co-featured Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace saw J K Pure Pearl (Jason Bartlett) take it to the house for a third consecutive victory.

Leaving from post 7 (in one notch after Whambam N was a judges' scratch), J K Pure Pearl stepped around Miss Galvinator A (Marohn) and a :28.1 opening quarter mile. The suspense was over right there, as the 6-5 fave held sway through a :59.3 intermission and 1:28 three quarters.

She found the wire in 1:56.4, a half-length before Benear (Gregory), who put in a good, two-move effort. Miss Galvinator A held third in her first purse try since early March, while Brickyard Trouble (Ray Baynes)--first-up yet again--and Bliss N Vinegar (Mike Forte) grabbed the final pay envelopes.

For J K Pure Pearl, a 4-year-old daughter of Bettor's Delight, she returned $4.50 for her eighth win in a dozen '08 tries. Linda Toscano trained the lass for co-owners William Jacobowitz, 3 Brothers & Camelot Stables. The exacta paid $11, the triple returned $33.40 while the superfecta was cancelled.

Marohn was presented with a congratulatory sign on the occasion of his 5,000th career driving victory. The 60-year-old Marohn, who reached the milestone Thursday afternoon at Monticello, was joined in the winner's circle by family and friends. He is nearing $35 million in career purses. (Yonkers Raceway)

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