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

Yonkers, NY — Post positions have been drawn for both of Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday night (June 13) stakes finals.

The $421,950 Art Rooney Pace, with seven 3-year-old colts in a “one-dash-for-the-cash” event, went inside-out like this:

1-Fireintheshark (Jason Bartlett)
2-Monkey Off My Back (Cat Manzi)
3-Venice Menace (Dave Palone)
4-Hypnotic Blue Chip (Tim Tetrick)
5-Mobile (Driver TBA)
6-If I Can Dream (George Brennan)
7-Barber Pole (Bartlett also listed)

The 19th edition of the Rooney goes as the 10th race on the 13-race program (first post 7:10 p.m.).

The Rooney’s companion event, the Lismore Pace for soph fillies (ninth race), offers a final purse of $293,970. Not Enough, a $30,000 supplemental entrant, and Kabbalah Karen B — both owned, trained and driven by Bulletproof Enterprises, Tracy Brainard and Jim Morrill, Jr., respectively — won this past Saturday night’s pair of $20,000 elimination races.

The Lismore ladies, in post order, are:

1-Kabbalah Karen B (Brennan)
2-Jkmusicofthenite (Stephane Bouchard)
3-Indulge Me (Mike Lachance)
4-Notjustaprettyface (Jordan Stratton)
5-In The Game (Manzi)
6-Spoiled Beach (Palone)
7-Not Enough (Morrill Jr.)
8-Pumptuous (Stratton also listed)

Note that Kabbalah Karen B, In The Game and Not Enough race as a common-ownership entry, while Jkmusicofthenite and Spoiled Beach, both trained by Linda Toscano, race uncoupled due to bona fide separate ownership.

Morning lines for both races, along with driver selections, shall be sent Wednesday.

Saturday night also features a T-shirt giveaway, while supplies last.

The week’s racing undercard includes the first local look at the New York Sire Stakes contingent. Thursday night is the $218,620 Art Watson Pace for 3-year-old fillies, offered in five consecutive events (races three through seven, inclusive). Leading the lasses is defending NYSS champ Eagle Way, who drew post position five in the final ($44,044) statebred event. Morrill drives the Dream Away miss for owner Frank Dettore and trainer Mark Ford.

Friday night finds the state’s glamour division in the $220,054 Hugh Grant for soph pacing colts/geldings, diced and sliced into a happy half-dozen (races three, four, five, seven, eight and nine). Hay Goodlooking, the ’08 frosh NYSS champ and track record holder for his division, drew post two in the second ($36,442) event. Trainer Gates Brunet does the honors himself as the Art Major colt looks to add to an 8-for-12 career resume.