Yonkers Raceway Monday night hosted the New York Sire Stakes Lew Barasch Trot for two-year-old colts and geldings.
The race again honoured the memory of ‘Tootie,’ the iconic Hall of Fame harness publicist from the sport's golden age.
A pair of equally-parsed, $78,800 divisions comprised the event, which, as it turned out, was not for the squeamish.
Fourth Dimension (Brian Sears), who entered the opener a perfect 4-for-4, exited having burned much money. Sent off as the 3-10 choice from post position No. 5, he was away third, only to break twice in the back half. The second- (Tito [Andy Miller]) and third-choice (My Lindy Winner [Jim Morrill, Jr.]) also misbehaved, a problem not shared by Six Pack (Ake Svanstedt, $31).
Going right down the road (:29, :59.4, 1:28.4, 1:57.3) from outside post No. 7, Six Pack never had any anxious moment. He opened 3-1/2 lengths into the lane, then widened to defeat 49-1 shot Purpose Blue Chip (Dan Daley) by 4-3/4 lengths. Tito recovered to finish third, while Fourth Dimension wound up a well-beaten sixth.
For fifth choice Six Pack, a Muscle Mass colt co-owned (with Stall Kallmar, Little E LCC and Lars Berg) by his trainer/driver, it was his second win six seasonal starts.
Monday evening’s second Barasch division saw Ronnie Goldstein (Kim Crawford, $24.20) prevail from the pocket. From post No. 3, he made the first lead (after another leaver broke), then gave it up to 9-10 choice (Perlucky) just past a :29.2 opening quarter-mile.
After a :59.1 intermission, Perlucky engaged the second move of second choice Don (Miller), toward the 1:29.1 three-quarters. Don then jumped it off, leaving Perlucky with 2-1/4-length lead in and out of the final turn.
He couldn’t finish it off, though, as Ronnie Goldstein surged by. The margin was a neck in a life-best 1:59.1. Seven Iron (Sears) was third.
For fourth choice ‘Ronnie,’ a homebred son of Muscle Mass trained by his driver for owner Steven Goldstein, it was his second win in eight ’17 tries.
A friendly reminder from Yonkers Raceway that Tuesday evening’s Pick 5 wager starts with a carryover of $2,969.45.
The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager comprising races 7 through 11 during every racing card. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Monday night), the entire pool (minus takeout) moves to the next racing program.
(Yonkers)