by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Upon further review, it may be a bit tough.

See You At Peelers puts her perfect performance history on the line Thursday night (July 28), visiting Yonkers Raceway for the $232,330 New York Sire Stakes Rye Pace for 3-year-old fillies.

See You At Peelers, 20-for-20 lifetime (including 4-for-4 here) and 7-for-7 this season, landed outside of her five rivals (after one inside scratch) in the $46,826 fifth (and final) division, going as the 10th race (approximate post time 10 p.m.). She opens as the 4-5 morning line favorite.

Mike Lizzi photo

See You At Peelers and Jimmy Takter will head to Yonkers on Thursday for a NYSS race.

The daughter of Bettor’s Delight returns to Westchester for the first time since bouncing the boys in June’s $307,734 Art Rooney Pace. It’s her first downstate sire stakes appearance of the season, and her first start since winning the $127,000 Tarport Hap at the Meadowlands. See You At Peelers, with more than $1.2 million in career cash, is trained by Jimmy Takter for co-owners (breeder) Christina Takter, Jim and John Fielding. Marcus Johansson, who drove See You At Peelers to her convincing Rooney victory, gets a return trip.

“After the race at the Meadowlands, she just wasn’t herself,” Jimmy Takter said. “She wasn’t acting the way she usually does, but when I trained her this past Saturday, she just snapped back. I wish I could explain it, but I guess it’s like all great athletes. She knows what she’s supposed to do, and just goes out and does it.

“We’re looking forward to (Thursday). She’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse, and everyone always takes their best shot at trying to beat her.”

Thursday night’s assemblage — led by the flawless filly — comprises one of the most robust “restricted” races in quite some time. That, and the post position goddesses did See You At Peelers no favors.

Among those looking to take the tiara is JK Owhatanite (Tim Tetrick, post three), like See You At Peelers an open-stakes (Lismore) winner in her own right. The homebred (3 Brothers Stables) daughter of Bettor’s Delight has rolled to six victories in her last seven tries, including last week’s down-the-road, sire stakes event here. Her escort, Tetrick, was driving Krispy Apple, who edged ahead of See You At Peelers in that Tarport Hap event before hanging a right in the final turn.

Then, there’s Tea Party Princess (Brian Sears, post five), who has won both of her (sire stakes) starts since arriving south of the border. The Art Major miss, trained by Ron Burke for owner Brad Gray, was a first-up, 1:54.1 winner here last week despite drifting out badly in the lane.

New Album (George Brennan, post two) was second in that same race and, like Tea Party Princess, has four wins and nine board finishes in 10 seasonal starts. Alexachase (Daniel Dube, post one) won her NYSS event here a week ago.

It should be interesting.

On another note, horsemen are advised that there are no Friday qualifiers on Aug. 5, with Yonkers making accommodations for that night’s fifth and final round of the World Driving Championship. This is the only exception to the regular Friday qualifying schedule.