by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Math problem, Yonkers Raceway/Yonkers Trot version: If Jimmy Takter entered four of the 15 3-year-olds in Saturday night’s (July 3) two $40,000 elimination races and Takter won both of the races and finished second with yet another one, do we grade this on a curve?

Hard Livin’ (Takter himself) and Senor Glide (Cat Manzi) lead an octet into the final of the 56th Yonkers Trot, first jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown. Each winner was originally a scheduled Ron Pierce drive.

Hard Livin’ was a 1:59.2 winner with trainer Jimmy Takter in the bike.

Hard Livin’, starting from the pylons as part of the odds-on entry in the first elim, set pedestrian fractions (:30.1, 1:01.4, 1:30.4) then took it to the house in 1:59.2. Stablemate/entrymate On The Tab (David Miller) edged Shaq Is Back (Ray Schnittker) for second, the pair beaten three-quarters of a length. Waldorf Hall (Jeff Gregory), the rank outsider at 28-1, earned the final “final” berth.

Hard Livin’, a son of SJ’s Caviar co-owned by Takter’s wife Christina, John Fielding and Falkbolagen AB, returned $2.50 for his third win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta (Shaq Is Back for pari-mutuel purposes) paid $11, with the triple (Shaq Is Back and Waldorf Hall) returning $155.50.

“It’s always a bit of an adjustment coming from the bigger tracks in Pennsylvania over here, but I thought he handled Yonkers well,” Takter said. “The last time he was on a half (elims for the Dexter Cup at Freehold), he had a quarter-crack and made a break.

“We didn’t have to go much, but he was his usual self tonight.”

Senor Glide held off Take My Picture in a time of 1:58.4.

Senor Glide also went wire-to-wire, grabbing the baton from post position No. 4 and shamelessly refusing to let go (:29, :59.4, 1:29.3, 1:58.4). Take My Picture (Gregory) angled out of the three hole, had dead aim, but missed by a head. Carnegie (Stephane Bouchard) was a pocket third, with Big Stick Lindy (Schnittker) closing from last early to grab fourth and the final seat at the adult table.

Senor Glide, a Yankee Glide colt co-owned by Ms. Takter, Mr. Fielding and Frederick Hertrich III, returned $10 (entry was second choice to the Schnittker entry) for his first win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $91, with the triple returning $305.50.

“I had seen this colt race before, and I knew there was some talent there,” Manzi said. “He showed me some fight down the lane.”

Saturday night also featured a pair of $20,000 eliminations for the Trot’s companion event, the Hudson Filly.

Spicy Wings edged favored Costa Rica in the first Hudson Filly elimination.

Spicy Wings (Manzi) unleashed a wicked final eighth to snap millionairess — and 1-4 favorite — Costa Rica (Pierce) nearing the wire, taking the first elim in 1:59 (back half :57.4). The latter put up walk-around fractions of :30.4, 1:01.1 and 1:30.1, but was beaten a half-length. Secret Credit (Gregory) and Unefoisdansmavie (Bouchard) — the lone $30,000 supplemental entrant — also earned places in the final.

Spicy Wings, a daughter of Andover Hall trained by Jeff Webster for co-owners Let It Ride and Mentally Stables & Jerry Silva, returned $8.10 (second choice) for her third win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $15.20, with the triple returning $30.60.

“My first objective was just to get her into the final, but she certainly impressed me,” Manzi said.

Tom Berg photos

Munis Blue Chip (on the inside) held off Bramalea Hanover in 1:57.2.

The second elim for the fillies came down to a match race between Munis Blue Chip (Schnittker) and Bramalea Hanover (Miller), with the pacesetting former holding off the first-up latter.

Munis Blue Chip led at every pylon through intervals of :29.3, :59.3, 1:28.3 and 1:57.2. Bramalea Hanover — as the 3-4 people’s choice — missed by a schnozz, with Show Your Lindys (Frode Fladen) and the winner’s entrymate, Religulous (Manzi), grabbing ther final two invites.

Munis Blue Chip, a statebred daughter of Credit Winner co-owned (and trained) by Schnittker, Arnold, Silva and Blue Chip Bloodstock, returned $5.50 (second choice) for her third win in seven ’10 tries. The exacta paid $8, with the triple returning $38.20.

Please be advised that both stakes finals — worth $573,770 (Yonkers) and $299,050 (Hudson) — are scheduled for next Saturday night (July 10), with open draws made at a Wednesday afternoon press conference at the Raceway.

Saturday night’s $42,500 Open Handicap Pace was won by Deuce Seelster (Jordan Stratton, $29.80) in 1:52.2.