by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — And you thought the statebred season ended with the New York Night of Champions?

Nope, as evidenced by Tuesday night’s (September 18) $28,900 Speedy Crown Trot, a Late Closer event for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

The first ($9,700) division went to CJ’s Victory (Jeff Gregory), who made the lead around Four Starz Credit (Dan Dube) before the quarter-mile and held safe by a half-length in 2:00.1. Four Starz Credit was second, while 2-5 favorite K-Roc (Stephane Bouchard) recovered from an early break to challenge before flattening to third.

The winner, a Majestic Victory gelding who is now 4-for-14 this season, is trained by Howard Okusko, Jr. for Perry Racing Stable. He returned $14.40, with the exacta paying $66.50 and the triple good for $147.

The second ($9,600) event saw another 6-1 proposition, Blazing Winner (Jim Meittinis), edge past the odds-on Fear’s Not a Factor (Bouchard) by a neck from the pocket. Mr Taurus (Claude Huckabone III) was a well-beaten third.

The son of Credit Winner, owned by Howard Stables and trained by Guy Howard, negotiated a 2:02 mile for his third victory in 13 seasonal starts. He paid $14.80, with the exacta worth $44.80 and the triple returning $360.

The third ($9,600) event produced a 19-1 upset when Little By Little (Jack Baggitt, Jr.) went the distance at a $40 mutuel. The son of Conway Hall, owned by Kevin Quinn and trained by Jake Hartline, defeated a first-up Paulie Ma Guire (David Brusseau) by 1-3/4 lengths in 2:00.2. Billboard King (Huckabone III) was third. DW’s Big Bear (Bouchard), the 11-10 favorite, was a wide fifth.

The winner’s fourth victory in 13 ’07 tries led a $195.50 exacta and $520 triple.

Live racing is currently offered at Yonkers with six programs per week — Monday through Saturday nights at 7:40 p.m. Harness and thoroughbred simulcasting is available seven days a week, while Empire City’s nearly 5,500 video gaming machines are in play daily from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.

Yonkers is simulcasting both the Wednesday (Jugette) and Thursday (Little Brown Jug) cards from the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair, with each program joined in progress at 12:00 noon.