Yonkers, NY — Dandy Ideal won for the third straight time in New York Sire Stakes competition when he captured Friday night’s (Aug. 8) $174,000 event for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers at MGM Yonkers Raceway in 1:51.3.
Starting from the pole position, Dandy Ideal and driver Jason Bartlett settled in the third position as 65-1 shot Red Blooded (Mark MacDonald) hustled to the early lead from post seven. Courts On Fire (Yannick Gingras) pressed on two-wide after leaving from post two and overtook Red Blooded beyond the :27.4 quarter, but Dandy Ideal tracked Courts On Fire’s bid and went by him on the second turn.
Once he had command, Dandy Ideal kept it through the half in :56 and the three-quarters in 1:23.4, then cruised home in :27.4 to defeat Courts On Fire by 1-3/4 lengths. Thirsty Thursday (Tyler Buter) got up for third, followed by Red Blooded and Silky Choice (Ridge Warren).
The second-place finisher in the Grade 2 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final at Yonkers earlier this year, Dandy Ideal is an American Ideal gelding trained by Hunter Oakes for owners Susan Oakes, Thaddeus Wier and Alan Johnston. Bred by Dr. Stephen Dey III with Dandy Farms Inc., Dandy Ideal has nine victories, four seconds and two thirds from 19 career starts, has earned $359,555 and paid $2.10 to win.
In addition to his sire stakes victory, Bartlett also swept the two $20,000 New York Excelsior Series divisions for sophomore pacing males with:
- Baleville Bomber (by Huntsville and bred by George, Joann and Heather Zitone, paid $7.60 to win) in 1:55 for trainer Nick DeVita and owners David Hamm, Glenn Phillips and Devita Racing Stable Inc.;
- Digging For Gold (by Huntsville and bred by Bamq LLC., paid $4.40 to win) in 1:53.1 for co-owner/trainer George Ducharme and co-owners Jim Winske, David Winske and Dr. Megan Moschgat.
New York Sire Stakes action returns to MGM Yonkers Raceway next Tuesday (Aug. 12) with a $174,000 top level race for 3-year-old filly trotters to go along with two $20,000 Excelsior Series flights.
MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday/Tuesday and Thursday-through-Saturday live racing schedule with post time each night at 6:45 p.m. (EDT). Please note that the oval will also have a program on Wednesday (Aug. 13) next week.