Posts Drawn For Night Of Champions

Published: September 9, 2014 07:46 pm EDT

Post positions have been drawn for the 25th edition of the New York Night of Champions, hosted by Yonkers Raceway Saturday night. The $1.8 million event, richest night of racing in the state, offers eight, $225,000 sire stakes finals for two- and three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. Once again, each race is sponsored by a prominent Empire State breeding farm.

Some hot-off-the-overnight-sheet tidbits from each of the races, which go as races two through nine on the 13-race card ($10,000 guaranteed pool Pick 5, 50-cent base wager races 5 through 9).

Crawford Farms Two-Year-Old Filly Trot (2nd race)
Barn Doll (Jeff Gregory, head number 5, post 5) led the lasses with six wins in eight seasonal tries ($95,287) and 2-for-2 here, but was scratched sick from her last scheduled start. Pig Hunt (Brennan, HN 4, post 3) also won both of her local tries, while Concentration (Brian Sears, HN2, post 1) enters with three win in her last four work nights. All three lasses mentioned are daughters of Conway Hall.

Cameo Hills Farm Three-Year-Old Filly Pace (3rd race)
Spreester (Jason Bartlett, post 1) won both the division during the summer and the draw for the final. The Kimberley Zabielski-owned homebred daughter of American Ideal does seem to enjoy her craft, as in 6-for-14 this season ($134,330) and a career 14-for-24. It Was Fascination (Brett Miller, post 2) has been open stakes-placed, while Ken Doll J (Sears, post 4) authored a 40-1 upset in her latest at Batavia.

Winbak Farm Two-Year-Old Filly Pace (4th race)
A three-headed Ron Burke-trained monster in Band Of Angels (Brennan, HN 1, post 1), Sassa Hanover (Jim Morrill, Jr., HN 1A, post 2) and Bettor N Better (Matt Kakaley, HN 1B, post 3) had the pills perform perfectly. They’re a combined 16-for-21 this season — occupying the first three places in the standings — with earnings in excess of $330,000. Band Of Angels and Sassa Hanover are daughters of Rock N Roll Heaven, while Bettor N Better is a Bettors Delight lass.

Stirling Brook Farms Three-Year-Old Filly Trot (5th race)
Market Rally (Morrill, Jr., HN 2A, post 6) was last season’s statebred champ, and, after being sold to Burke and Associates, has continued her excellent form. The Cash Hall lass has run roughshod over her foes, winning six of her last seven tries…the only blemish being an early Batavia bobble. She’s 5-for-5 here in her career, accounting for half of her career (10-for-21, $544,716) win resume.

Morrisville College Equine Institute Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot (6th race)
Buen Camino (Trond Smedshammer, post 6), a Cash Hall gelding, has rattled off three consecutive wins ($125,338). Crazy Wow (Dan Rawlings, post 1) needed a win here and some help to get the last place at the table, while Insomniac (Bartlett, post 8) also enjoyed a six-figure summer.

Blue Chip Farms Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace (7th race)
All Bets Off (Kakaley, HN 1A, post 6), with a pair of open-company wins (Art Rooney Pace, Milstein Memorial) on his holster, has hit the board in all 11 tries this season (8 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, $530,425). Stay Up Late (Mark MacDonald, HN 5, post 5) has won his last couple of NYSS events, and could be best of others.

Genesee Valley Farm Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace (8th race)
Any number of these have mastered freshman orientation, including points leader Southwind Masimo (Pat Lachance, post 1) — 4-for-5 thus far — Americanprimetime (Tyler Buter, post 5) and Cartoon Daddy (Kakaley, post 6), who has won thrice in four Westchester effort.

Allerage Farm Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot (9th race)
Defending champ Flyhawk El Durado (MacDonald, HN 2, post 1), who enters with six wins in 13 ’14 tries ($292,711), has won his last four versus statebreds. He features wild speed to take advantage of the pylons, while the gelding Gural Hanover (Morrill, Jr., HN 1, post 2) is 8-for-10 ($274,413) has strung together seven (NYSS) wins in succession entering this race.

(Yonkers Raceway)

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