Forty Five Red wins Sheppard Pace; Yonkers Trot elims contested

by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Forty Five Red (Daniel Dube) won Yonkers Raceway’s $111,250 Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace final for 2-year-old colts and geldings on Saturday (July 20).

Mike Lizzi photo

Forty Five Red was a 1:55.4 winner in the Sheppard final.

With nose on gate from post position No. 2, Forty Five Red left around Thereisapaceforus (Larry Stalbaum). The former — whose task was simplified when 4-5 favorite Western Conquest (Brent Holland) and Gotta Laugh Again (Ray Schnittker) both broke leaving — had the lead just after a :28.4 opening quarter-mile. A soft, 30.1 next quarter (:59 half) made everyone else’s job that much more difficult.

Stevensville (Jordan Stratton), partnered with Gotta Laugh Again, tried it first-up from sixth going toward the 1:27.3 three-quarters, but could never get close.

Meanwhile, Forty Five Red widened to 2-1/2 lengths turning for home, then whipped Thereisapaceforus by a couple of lengths in a life-best (three starts) 1:55.4. Disarrei (Pat Lachance) sat a three-hole and wound up third, with Goldin Parachute (Eric Goodell) and Great American (Mark MacDonald) completing the cashers. Stevensville, Gotta Laugh Again and a distanced Western Conquest rounded out the order.

“He’s just a good horse,” Dube said. “I was happy with his race (second) last week (eliminations), and I would have been happy sitting second and taking my chances, but I saw (Western Conquest) get rough and it made it easier.”

For $105,000 Lexington yearling Forty Five Red, a son of If I Can Dream-Sakura Hanover co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke and Our Horse Cents Stable, he returned $7.60 (second choice) for a second win in those three tries. The exacta paid $50.50, with the triple returning $679.

The race, honoring the founder of Hanover Shoe Farms, returned in 2012 after a nine-season hiatus. Larry DeVan, grandson of Mr. Sheppard and himself a prominent horse owner, was on hand to make the presentation.

Creampuff Macdaddy and Dontyouforgetit win Yonkers Trot elims

Canadian import Creampuff Macdaddy (Jason Bartlett, $4.90) and favored Dontyouforgetit (Jimmy Takter, $3.60) won their respective $40,000 eliminations Saturday night for Yonkers Raceway’s 59th Yonkers Trot. A total of 15 3-year-olds — 11 colts and four geldings — went at it in two elims for berths in next Saturday night’s $450,000 final in the first jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown.

Pole-sitting Creampuff Macdaddy, as the second choice, played leapfrog on the lead with 9-10 choice Dewycolorintheline (Ray Schnittker). The former released the latter after a :28.2 opening quarter-mile then retook in turn two. After a :58.4 intermission, Lauderdale (Mark MacDonald) moved from fourth. Creampuff Macdaddy dismissed that one right around a 1:28 three-quarters, taking a two length lead into the lane.

Dewycolorintheline tested Creampuff Macdaddy from the pocket, but couldn’t get closer than 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.3. Third went to Lauderdale, with Cantab Abs (Trond Smedshammer) a ground-saving fourth. That quartet earned berths in next Saturday’s $450,000 final, while Denver (Jordan Stratton), Broadway Prince (Eric Goodell) and Kegler Hanover (Marcus Johansson) left with lovely parting gifts.

For Creampuff Macdaddy, a son of Ken Warkentin trained by Brad Maxwell for co-owners Howard Taylor, Ted Gewertz, Edwin Gold and Judith Taylor, it was his first win in three seasonal starts (one north of the border disqualification is under appeal). The exacta paid $7.50, with the triple returning $63.

“It was his first start here, and he left the gate trotting,” Bartlett said. “Once I retook, we were able to get some cheap fractions, but when I asked for speed late, he gave it to me.”

As for Dontyouforgetit, he showed some moxie from post position No. 6. Settling in fourth early, he watched as Detour Hanover (Daniel Dube) — he of the record $825,000 yearling price tag — led through early intervals of :28.4 and :58.4.

The people’s preference then began his second move, grinding toward the leader at the 1:27.3 three-quarters. Detour Hanover remained two lengths to the good, then he went bad, jumping it off going into the final turn.

That left Dontyouforgetit with the baton, which he used to hold off a determined Fico (Bartlett) by a nose in 1:57.2. Boffin (Charlie Norris) and 75-1 rank outsider Celebrity Stimulus (Tom Jackson) were third and fourth, respectively, grabbing invites to the final. Explosive Action (MacDonald), Twisted Pretzel (Brent Holland), Detour Hanover and Theraputic (Stratton) — who also broke — comprised the rear.

“To be honest, he had some trouble with his footing. which we’re going to have to take care of,” Takter said. “He was moving, but he wasn’t really going anywhere.

“I know that Detour Hanover is a very fast horse, and even though we had to chase him. I was trying to put the squeeze on him and not to let him get too far in front.

“When he broke, we sort of became the target, but this colt loves to race and always tries.”

For Dontyouforgetit, a homebred Cantab Hall colt trained by Takter for Solveig’s Racing Partners, it was his fourth win in seven 2013 tries (10-for-17 lifetime). The exacta paid $18, with the triple returning $91.

The open draw for the final takes place Tuesday night in the winner’s circle, between the four and fifth races on that evening’s racing program.

Related Articles:

  • Lind has Yonkers Trot finalist with improving Fico (Wednesday, July 24, 2013)
    Before he ever signed a check, Staffan Lind was impressed with how Fico moved and thought he was a horse with an exceptionally bright future.
  • Dontyouforgetit is small in stature, but big in heart (Thursday, July 25, 2013)
    When trotter Dontyouforgetit arrived in Jimmy Takter’s barn, the trainer’s expectations for the colt mirrored the horse’s size: small. At the time, Takter could not see what Dontyouforgetit possessed inside, in terms of heart. That, he soon discovered, was large.

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