733 Yonkers Ave., Suite 102, Yonkers NY, 10704  Phone: 914-968-3599   Fax: 914-968-3943  
Latest News: Standardbred Owners Association of New York

Yonkers hosts NYSS Pat Quaglietta Trot

Yonkers hosts NYSS Pat Quaglietta Trot
Tuesday, August 26, 2014 - by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway


Yonkers, NY --- Yonkers Raceway hosted the $197,500 New York Sire Stakes Pat Quaglietta Trot for 2-year-old fillies on Monday night (Aug. 25). Four divisions comprised the event.

Division leader Barn Doll (Jeff Gregory, $3.10) did nothing to diminish her standing, winning the $49,150 third division in 1:58.4, by far the night's fastest.

Tom Berg photo

Jeff Gregory steered Barn Doll to a 1:58.4 victory in their NYSS division.
Racing second-up from post position No. 4, she went up and over a last-turn bolting Nunkeri (Mark MacDonald), beating that one by three-quarters of a length. Frou Frou (Jim Morrill Jr.) was a best of the rest third. The effort was just two ticks off the track record (Some Girls, 2010) for this division.

"She's just a professional and she enjoys what she does," Gregory said. "Mark's filly looked like she wanted to go home early, but nothing seems to bother (Barn Doll).

For Barn Doll, a daughter of Conway Hall-Headintheclouds co-owned by trainer Steve and Nancy Pratt and Purple Haze Stables, it was her sixth win in eight seasonal starts. The exacta paid $6.30, with the triple (three wagering favorites in order) returning $12.20.

Driver George Brennan doubled his pleasure in the first two $49,150 sire stakes events, with odds-on Pig Hunt ($2.50) in 2:01 and second choice Counsellor AS ($5.80) in 2:00.3.

The former, a Conway Hall-Chippewa Street miss, controlled from the pole and defeated pocket-sitting Zanna Blue (Gates Brunet) by three-quarters of a length. Summer Scent (Dan Daley) was third.

Pig Hunt, co-owned by trainer Jennifer and Janice Connor, is now four-for-seven this season. The exacta (two wagering faves in order) paid $8.20, with the triple returning $28.40.

"The best thing about her? She trots," Brennan said. "I was able to back it down enough (1:31.3 three-quarters) to make sure she had something late."

Both Barn Doll and Pig Hunt are two-for-two locally in NYSS competition.

Counsellor AS, second-up from post No. 4, went right by even-money Miss B'ville J (Morrill), drawing out to win by a couple of lengths. Make It Blue Chip (Ray Schnittker) was third.

For Counsellor AS, a Conway Hall-Cordele AS homebred miss owned by Acl Stuteri Ab and trained by Annette Lorentzon, it was her third win in eight '14 tries. The exacta paid $14.40, with the triple returning $30.40.

"She’s learning," Brennan said. "I think she'd have won the last time, but I drove her off her feet."

The evening's final $50,050 sire stakes event went to down-the-road favorite Concentration (Sears, $4.30) -- from post No. 4 -- in 1:59.3. The margin was 1-3/4 lengths over Duolectra (Brennan), who skimmed the cones to grab second at 28-1. Shaqline (Jimmy Takter) was third.

Concentration, a daughter of Conway Hall-Super Starlet owned by Raymond Campbell and trained by George Ducharme, is three-for-seven in her first season. The exacta paid $88.50, with the triple returning $332.50.

A special Monday shout out to the veteran Wholly Louy, whose win in the $21,000 10th race pace made him harness racing's newest millionaire (66-for-220, $1,000,063).


Send this story to a friend    News Archives