Yonkers Raceway played Tuesday evening host to the $200,200 New York Sire Stakes Clyde Hirt Pace for two-year-old pacing fillies, and it was a huge night for the duo of trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras.
The first grouping was, as advertised, a Westchester waltz for odds-on Sassa Hanover ($2.10). In play from post position five, she pocketed Bin N Heaven (Doug McNair), then strolled through relaxed rest stops of :29.1, :59 and 1:28. A :27.4 final quarter (life-best 1:55.4) saw her end up 2-3/4 lengths better than Bin N Heaven, who herself raced very well from an outside post. Third went to Vraka Hanover (Tim Tetrick).
Sassa Hanover, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven co-owned (as Burke Racing LLC) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Panhellenic Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Larry Karr, is 2-for-2 (both in NYSS).
“I’ve been impressed since I baby-raced her,” Gingras said. “Tonight was basically a training mile. You want to see manners and guts when they’re just beginning, and she showed both.”
Trainer/driver also took down the third and fourth sub-sections with faves Band Of Angels ($5) in a night’s-fastest and lifetime best clocking of 1:54.4, and Bettor N Better ($2.70) in 1:56.
“(Band of Angels) was able to rate (:29, :58.2, 1:27.4), but a :27 last quarter here for a two-year-old is something,” Gingras said.
The daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven defeated One Hot Majorette (Mark MacDonald) by a half-length, with Ameritime (Brent Holland) third.
“I thought Bettor N Better may have a behind the other two (Sassa Hannover and Band of Angels) early, but she’s catching up fast. I would have been just as happy sitting behind Timmy (Tetrick, driving Zip Code Envy), but it worked out with me cutting the mile,” Gingras added.
Bettor N Better, a Bettors Delight lass, was a length better than a first-up Heavenly Bride (Brian Sears) in lifetime best effort, with Zip Code Envy third.
All three of the Burke/Gingras winners are 2-for-2 to begin their careers, with NYSS wins here and at Monticello Raceway.
Newly-minted Harness Hall of Famer Dave Miller and an off-the-pace Bettor Be Steppin ($16.80) won the second NYSS event in a maiden-breaking 1:56.4. Starting from post six, she held off 58-1 My Little Delight (Jason Bartlett) by a neck in battle of closers, with Bullville Maggie (Gingras) third. Even-money choice Shes Heavenly (Mike Lachance) brushed to the lead, met pressure from Devil Child (Jimmy Whittemore), then faded to last.
“She was zigging and zagging a bit late,” Miller said of Bettor B Steppin. “It was her first start on a half, and the last turn may have come up a bit quicker than she was ready for.”
The daughter of Bettors Delight is trained by Joe Holloway.
New York Sire Stakes continue Thursday night, with the $217,000 Michael Sorentino Trot for three-year-old colts and geldings.
(Yonkers Raceway)