by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway Friday night’s (July 14) hosted the $170,499 New York Sire Stakes Art Watson Pace for 3-year-old fillies. The lasses were condensed into a trio of moist $56,833 divisions.

Fresh Lasix, fooled very few as Tequila Monday (Brian Sears, $2.50) handily won the first get-together. In play from post position six, last season’s statebred freshman champ and this season’s Lismore champ threw down the fastest gauntlet (:28., 56.4, 1:25, 1:53.4) of the sire stakes evening. Tequila Monday defeated her pocket shadow, World Apart (Jason Bartlett) by 2-3/4 lengths, with Carly Girl (George Brennan) third.

Ann Hill collected her second win from seven seasonal starts on Friday night at Yonkers Raceway.

For Tequila Monday, a daughter of American Ideal trained by Chris Oakes for co-owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey, it was her fifth win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $5.80, with the triple returning $18.40.

Sears doubled-up his sire stakes pleasure a race later. He and Ann Hill ($25.40) were the beneficiaries when 1-4 choice Obvious Blue Chip (Bartlett) ‘fell down’ on an open, but ultimately too quick (:26.4, :56.4, 1:25.2) lead.

Ann Hill, from post four, slid out to race second-over, then rallied through the lane. She defeated Queen Josephine (Matt Kakaley) by a length in 1:55.4, a tick off her life best. Planet Rock (Dan Dube) third. Obvious Blue Chip faded to fifth.

For Ann Hill, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven co-owned by trainer Richie Silverman and Neal Oksenberg, it was her second win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $151.50, with the triple returning $2,218

“We purchased her after last season and pointed her for the sire stakes,” Silverman said. “She’s a beautiful filly, not a killer but very handy. I’m lucky to have her.”

Friday night’s statebred finale saw second choice Clear Idea (Mark MacDonald, $5.80) finish what she started (:28, :58, 1:26.2, 1:54.4), winning by a half-length. From post six, she fought off a prolonged bid of even-money Roaring to Go (Brett Miller) for a fourth consecutive victory. Touchamatic (Brennan) was a wide-off-the-final-turn third.

Mike Lizzi photos

Clear Idea won her division by a half-length in 1:54.4.

For Clear Idea, an American Ideal miss co-owned by trainer Blake MacIntosh and Hutt Racing, it was her sixth win in a dozen 2017 tries. The exacta paid $12.40, with the triple returning $42.60.

“She’s just been getting better and better with each start,” MacDonald said. “She went a big mile at Vernon (NYSS, 1:52) last month and hasn’t turned in a bad race since.”

New York Sire Stakes continue here Tuesday night (July 18), with the $160,000 Bruce Hamilton Trot for 2-year-old fillies.

Friday night’s $55,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace was won by favored Medusa (Kakaley, $5.90) in 1:53.1.