Rooney winner Downbytheseaside returns to Yonkers for Messenger elimination
August 25, 2017,by Brandon Valvo, for the SOA of NY
Yonkers, NY — When he last raced at Yonkers, Downbytheseaside won the $300,000 Art Rooney Pace May 27. The victory was his fourth in a row after capturing the Governor’s Cup at Woodbine to end his 2-year-old season, taking his 2017 debut in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and winning the Rooney elimination May 20.
Although he won as a heavy favorite in both his starts at Yonkers, Downbytheseaside had to earn it both times.
In his elimination, Downbytheseaside made an early move after starting from post nine. Driver David Miller guided Downbytheseaside to the outside and tracked Funknwaffles in the second quarter. After Funknwaffles cleared the lead before the half, Downbytheseaside drove on to the front past a :55.4 half before winning by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.2.
In the final the following week, Downbytheseaside won by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:52.
“I expected the way they usually race at Yonkers where they line up and don’t race much till the end,” trainer Brian Brown said. “The two races I was in, they raced pretty hard the whole way. There was nothing given to him. He had to really earn it both weeks.
“To win a race that’s named after the founder of the track, that’s always nice,” Brown continued. “Everybody does a great job making those races special. They were special to us to just be in them, let alone have a chance to win them.”
Since his Rooney victory, Downbytheseaside has traded blows with Huntsville and stablemate Fear The Dragon in a host of Grand Circuit stakes. Downbytheseaside finished third in the North America Cup after setting fractions of :25.2, :52.1, and 1:19.3; was fifth in the Max Hempt final; second in the Meadowlands Pace; and third in the Cane Pace. In all those cases, Huntsville or Fear The Dragon took top honors.
Downbytheseaside finally upended his stablemate last time out in the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial at Northfield Park Aug. 12. In a change of tactics, Brian Sears rated Downbytheseaside in fourth early as Fear The Dragon dictated the speed. Fear The Dragon paced a quarter in :27.1 and a half in :56.
As the field raced into the second lap, Sears guided Downbytheseaside first-over and quickly drew within a half-length of Fear The Dragon. David Miller pulled the plugs on Fear The Dragon, who kept Downbytheseaside at bay through three-quarters in 1:22.4. Entering the final turn, Miller had the whip on Fear The Dragon’s tail while Sears edged Downbytheseaside’s nose in front under a hand-drive. In the stretch, Downbytheseaside glided away from his competition to win by a length in 1:49.3.
“He was really good that day,” Brown commented. “He’s had some feet trouble and that week leading up to that race, that horse was as good as he’s been all year. Never did he get lame in his feet, but his feet are always bothering him a little. He was really good that week. I don’t know what we did to him that much different. He was on the vibrating plate maybe more. He was extra good that night.”
For Brown, seeing Downbytheseaside get the upper hand meant seeing his other horse, Fear The Dragon, suffer a loss. Although he wants both horses to do well, he was happy to see Downbytheseaside’s connections, Country Club Acre, Joe Sbrocco, Richard Lombardo, and Diamond Creek Racing, get a win.
“I’m glad for that horse that he finally got to win a race like that. He was getting some pretty tough trips. Post position was killing him at times,” Brown said. “It’s hard to have both of those; you don’t want either one to lose. But he was just really good that night and it was good for him, good for the owners to finally win a race without being the one making all the speed and getting passed late. It was nice for him to race from behind and be able to win a race like that.”
Downbytheseaside’s Milstein victory extended the son of Somebeachsomewhere’s perfect half-mile track record to four. He won a division of the Standardbred at the Delaware County Fair in a world record 1:50 at 2 before winning the Rooney elimination and final and the Milstein. Downbytheseaside also went his first two qualifying trips at Delaware as a 2-year-old, winning both.
In his career, Downbytheseaside is 14-for-23 with $1,263,322 earned.
“It’s hard to explain because he’s a big, strong horse, but for some reason, he loves a half,” Brown said. “He has great speed. To be honest, he is as good on a half as he is on a big track. He’s always been good on a half.”
Downbytheseaside drew post three in the nine-horse Messenger elimination Saturday night. Brian Sears will drive again in the $40,000 prep for next week’s $500,000 jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown. The last place finisher will not return for the final.
Brown is confident in Downbytheseaside’s chances to return to Yonkers a winner.
“He drew a good spot, he’s coming in pretty good. He should be in pretty good shape come Saturday. I think we’re OK,” Brown said. “I think everything will be good.”
The Saturday night card at Yonkers also features two eliminations of the Yonkers Trot for 3-year-old trotters in races six and seven and a $50,000 Open Handicap Pace in race eight. First post time is 7:10 p.m. To view entries for Saturday’s card, click here.
- Yonkers Trot attracts 12, nine enter in Messenger Stakes (Monday, August 21, 2017)
Twelve 3-year-old trotters have been entered for Yonkers Trot No. 63, second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown and nine sophomore pacers have entered the 62nd Messenger Stakes, the second jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown.
- Trio of tracks to host Grand Circuit races this weekend (Wednesday, August 23, 2017)
Yonkers, Mohawk and Tioga will host Grand Circuit races this weekend.
- More mature Yes Mickey has blossomed in 2017 (Wednesday, August 23, 2017)
A year ago, Yes Mickey might have caused his connections to cry out “Oh no Mickey” more often than his actual name. The trotter was an immature 2-year-old who started only once — and went off stride in the stretch. The outcome was not completely unexpected. He frequently made breaks when training and in two of his three qualifiers. Yes Mickey was gelded during the winter and, together with time to mature, came back to work this year a different horse. He has finished first or second in eight of nine races and earned $222,487 for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt and owner Mellby Gard Inc.
- Julie Miller to start three in Yonkers Trot eliminations (Friday, August 25, 2017)
Of the 12 colts and geldings who will contest the eliminations of the Yonkers Trot, three are trained by Julie Miller. She will send out 9-5 morning line favorite Devious Man in the first $40,000 elimination in race six. The coupled entry of Money Macintosh and Top Flight Angel are 9-5 in the early odds behind Guardian Angel As at 8-5 in the second elimination one race later. Miller is hopeful all three of her starters will finish fourth or better to earn a spot behind the gate of the $500,000 final Saturday (Sept. 2).
- Guardian Angel AS, Yes Mickey, Downbytheseaside win eliminations for Yonkers Trot and Messenger (Sunday, August 27, 2017)
Yonkers Raceway Saturday night (Aug. 26) hosted a trio of $40,000 stakes eliminations, two for the 63rd edition of the Yonkers Trot and one for the 62nd Messenger Stakes. Guardian Angel AS, Yes Mickey and Downbytheseaside all visited the winner’s circle.