Yonkers Raceway Saturday night hosted a pair of $40,000 eliminations for the Art Rooney Pace. All told, a dozen three-year-old pacers -- nine colts and three geldings -- tried to wedge their way into next Saturday night's $275,000 final.
In the first elimination, New York Sire Stakes champion Doctor Butch (Tim Tetrick), the lone $30,000 supplemental entrant into this event, was put in play early from post position No. 4. He stepped around pole-squatting Source of Power (Dave Miller) well before a :27.3 opening quarter-mile.
After a :56.2 half, Bet The Moon (George Brennan) took out of fourth, engaging the 2-5 favourite toward the 1:25 three-quarters, while second-choice Mach It So (Brian Sears) conducting his business from second-over.
Doctor Butch gruelingly disposed of Bet The Moon, taking a length lead into the lane. However, his first start of the season was not going to be his first win of the season. It was Source Of Pride going in and going by in 1:53.2. The margin was a length and a quarter over Mach It So, with 'Butch' fading to third and Bet The Moon fourth. That quartet earned berths into the final.
For Source Of Pride, a son of American Ideal trained by Jimmy Takter for co-owners (breeder) Brittany Farms, Louie Camara, Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz, he returned $11.40 (third choice) for his third win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $39.80, with the triple (three wagering choices in descending order) returning $89.
Source Of Pride is also eligible to the 2013 Pepsi North America Cup and has been assessed at odds of 40-1 in Trot Magazine's Spring Book.
They left Sir Carys Z Tam (Pat Lachance) to his own devices from post No. 3 in the second elimination, and he made 'em pay.
Taking over from Good Day Mate (Jason Bartlett) right at the :28-second opening quarter, the 7-5 choice was able to rate a :30-second next interval (:58 half), effectively ended much of the suspense. A funky-gaited Sunfire Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras) pressed the issue down the backside, but was dismissed soon after the 1:25.4 three-quarters. Sir Carys Z Tam had a couple of lengths in and out of the final turn, then held off a flying-from-last Lonewolf Currier (Sears) by a head in 1:54.1. Cup eligible Good Day Mate (50-1 in the Spring Book) and 'Sunfire' were third and fourth, respectively, securing their seats for the final.
For Sir Carys Z Tam, a statebred son of Bettors Delight co-owned (and trained) by his driver, along with M& M Harness Racing and Ira Rosenblum, he returned $4.90 for his second (consecutive) win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $12.20, with the triple returning $79.
Next Saturday night also includes the $117,060 Lismore Pace for three-year-old fillies. Both stakes draws take place Tuesday afternoon.
Saturday night's $46,000 Open Handicap Pace was won by all-age track-record holder Sapphire City (Bartlett, $23.60) in a down-the-road 1:50.4, fastest local mile of the season and matching the all-age standard (Electric Oui) for aged geldings. Foiled Again (Gingras) demanded a rare mulligan after a never-in-it sixth as the 4-5 choice.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)