Stay Hungry stays Triple Crown course in elims for Messenger Stakes
August 22, 2018,by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — We took a poll and decided there’s only one horse out there with a shot to win the Pacing Triple Crown.
Take a bow, Stay Hungry.
Having closed the sale in the $281,000 Cane Pace (life-best 1:47.3) during Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands, Stay Hungry stays the course, invading Yonkers Raceway Saturday night (Aug. 25) for eliminations of the 63rd Messenger Stakes.
Stay Hungry, a son of 2008 Messenger winner Somebeachsomewhere, drew penultimate post position No. 5 in the second $40,000 elimination. The first four finishers in both elims (races five and six) return for the $500,000 final Saturday night (Sept. 1).
Since there were only eight entrants for Yonkers Trot No. 64, no eliminations were necessary. That half-million-dollar final also goes Sept. 1.
With eight of the 11 participants coming back, the odds are in Stay Hungry’s favor. That said, he landed in by far the tougher division, opposing — among others — pole-sitting Springsteen and $30,000 buy-in Jimmy Freight, who starts directly inside of him.
Stay Hungry has danced every dance this season, finishing fourth in the $760,000 final of the North America Cup (Woodbine Mohawk), fourth in the half-million-dollar finale of the Hempt Memorial (Pocono) and third in the $701,830 final of the Meadowlands Pace.
Then came the Cane, where he watched wicked numbers in front of him before rallying from ninth at the three-quarters with a personal :25.4 last stanza.
For the season, Stay Hungry has three wins and three thirds in eight starts, banking $363,530. Tony Alagna trains for co-owners Brad Grant and Irwin Samelman Estate.
“High speed and easy on himself,” driver Doug McNair said. “Start him up and shut him down and he doesn’t fight with you.”
McNair, who has driven Stay Hungry in all but one of his 17 career purse starts, knew right away his escort had the goods.
“From the start, he beat a lot of the best horses.”
Stay Hungry’s frosh season (nine starts, six wins, one second) was highlighted by a win in the $600,000 final of the Breeders Crown at Hoosier (1:50.4). He ended 2017 with a nose defeat in the $411,700 Governor’s Cup (Meadowlands).
As for the Westchester and half-mile-track debut of Stay Hungry, McNair has no concerns.
“(Trainer) Tony (Alagna) sent him over last week with Cat Manzi to work him out, and Tony has always had him tight.”
Stay Hungry is three weeks between starts for Saturday’s race, the same interval — as McNair noted — between the Meadowlands Pace and the Cane.
“I just want to see him pace hard through the wire,” McNair said. “Obviously, I think he has a good shot to win no matter how we race him, but just pace hard through the wire.”
Following are the fields for the eliminations of the Messenger.
First elimination: 1. Babes Dig Me, George Brennan, Tony Alagna, 3-1; 2. Wild Bill, Ray Schnittker, Ray Schnittker, 12-1; 3. JK Wildfire, Jason Bartlett, Brett Pelling, 7-2; 4. Topville Olympian, Brian Sears, Chris Oakes, 3-1; 5. Nutcracker Sweet, Jordan Stratton, Jimmy Takter, 3-2.
Second elimination: 1. Springsteen, Brian Sears, Rene Allard, 5-2; 2. Winston, Corey Callahan, John Butenschoen, 8-1; 3. Decoy, Mark MacDonald, Jimmy Takter, 9-1; 4. Jimmy Freight, Louis Roy, Andrew Harris, 9-5; 5. Stay Hungry, Doug McNair, Tony Alagna, 2-1; 6. Kwik Talkin, Jordan Stratton, Rob Harmon, 20-1.
- Yonkers Trot attracts eight, 11 enter Messenger (Monday, August 20, 2018)
On Monday afternoon (Aug. 20), Yonkers Raceway’s entry box offered up eight 3-year-old trotters — four colts and four geldings — for the 64th Yonkers Trot. The entry box also found 11 3-year-old pacers — eight colts and three geldings — for the 63rd Messenger Stakes.
- Yonkers, Woodbine Mohawk, Tioga to host Grand Circuit stakes (Wednesday, August 22, 2018)
This Saturday (Aug. 25), Yonkers Raceway will host a pair of $40,000 eliminations in the Messenger Stakes for sophomore pacers, the second leg of the sport’s pacing Triple Crown.
- Schnittker hopes best is yet to come for Wild Bill (Wednesday, August 22, 2018)
After seeing Wild Bill suffer an injury at age 2 and from bleeding issues this year at 3, trainer Ray Schnittker hopes his colt is ready to turn the corner beginning in Saturday’s eliminations for the Messenger Stakes at Yonkers Raceway. Wild Bill, a full brother to Dan Patch Award-winner Huntsville, adds Lasix for his upcoming race following off-the-board finishes in his past two starts. For his career, he has won three of eight races and earned $58,391 for Schnittker, who bred Wild Bill with the late Charlie Iannazzo and remains the owner of the colt.
- Roy to make Yonkers debut with Jimmy Freight in Messenger elimination (Friday, August 24, 2018)
Driver Louis-Philippe Roy’s ride with Jimmy Freight to date has already been a fulfilling one. One of the first major stakes horses the Quebec native has traveled with, Jimmy Freight has taken the 28-year-old reinsman to the Meadowlands Pace and the Carl Milstein Memorial. The next step in the pacer’s journey, the $580,000 Messenger Stakes, brings Roy to Yonkers Raceway for the first time.
- Jimmy Freight sets track record in Messenger eliminations (Sunday, August 26, 2018)
Owner Adriano Sorella paid $30,000 for the privilege of Jimmy Freight entering the 63rd Messenger Stakes. We’re surmising the other connections would glad pay at least twice that much the privilege of Jimmy Freight exiting the 63rd Messenger Stakes. That’s because Jimmy Freight (Louis-Phillipe Roy, $3.30) made Yonkers Raceway his very own veranda Saturday night (Aug. 25th), rolling in an elimination race while setting a track record in the process. The second jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown began with a pair of $40,000 elims, five- and six-horse fields to determine the eight finalists for next Saturday night’s (Sept. 1) half-million-dollar finale.