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

Yonkers, NY — He came. He saw. He slapped silly. Stung early and strong late, world champion Downbytheseaside (Dave Miller, $2.10) was superb Saturday night (May 27), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $300,000 Art Rooney Pace for 3-year-olds .

Downbytheseaside scores in 1:52 to improve his record to three-for-three after a victory in the Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers Raceway.

The 27th Rooney featured five colts and three geldings at the start, but only one at the finish.

It was 53-1 Summer Side (Tim Tetrick) making the first lead, looping both the eventual winner and second choice Miso Fast (Matt Kakaley).
With Downbytheseaside three-wide from post position three, Miso Fast leapfrogged by Summer Side, stringing the 1-20 proposition out past a :27.3 opening quarter-mile and well into the second turn. That turned out to be Donwbytheseaside’s only issue as he found a :55 intermission and pokey :29.1 third quarter in 1:24.1.

Eight-holer Stealth Bomber (Brett Miller), who had left and wedged in sixth, tired it first-up but was never close to coming close. Downbytheseaside opened four lengths entering the lane, winning by a wrapped-up 3-3/4 lengths in 1:52.

Summer Side, winner of last season’s Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace here, was a solid second, with 2016’s New York Sire Stakes freshman champion Funknwaffles (Brian Sears) third. The latter raced well, forced wide early after Stealth Bomber stopped.

Fourth and fifth went to Henry the Dragon (Montrell Teague) and pole-sitting, 62-1 Mac’s Jackpot (Jason Bartlett), respectively. Miso Fast faded to sixth, ahead of 90-1 Rollin’ About (Brent Holland) and the rough trip of Stealth Bomber.

For Downbytheseaside, a son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Brian Brown for co-owners Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Richard Lombardo and Diamond Creek Racing, it was his third win in as many seasonal starts. For his career he is 11-for-16, with three seconds, two thirds and has earned $766,016.

The exacta paid $21.80, the triple returned $103.50 and the superfecta paid $838.

The win was Miller’s third in the Rooney (Ashlee’s Big Guy-2002, No Pan Intended-2003 [via disqualification]) and the highlight of a five-win night.

“He’s been a pretty solid horse,” Miller said. “I thought he raced well. He got used a bit more than I thought he would in the second quarter, but he held up.
“I tried to rate him up the backstretch, but he got through the turns a lot better tonight. I asked him going into the last turn and he got right around it really good and finished ‘er off.”

As for trainer Brown, who chose the Rooney because “it fit our schedule and the money’s very good,” the plan did indeed come together for his first local visit.

“I’m thrilled that everything worked out right,” he said of last week’s lone (1:52.2) elimination winner. Downbytheseaside stayed in New Jersey, tended to by caretaker Toni Dale and Miller.

“It was a little bit of a tough trip, but I thought easier than last week. The horse had a foot bothering him last week and Toni and David worked on it all week. Toni took care of him every day. David actually jogged and trained him all week and he kept texting me every day that the horse was getting better and really liked where we were at.”

Where he was at Saturday night was open lengths ahead of the rest of them.

Agent Q (Dave Miller) made a winning move. Unfortunately for her, Tequila Monday (Brian Sears, $10.60) made a more impressive one. The latter stalked and subdued the former Saturday night, easily winning Yonkers Raceway’s $140,770 Lismore for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Mike Lizzi photos

Tequila Monday dominates the Lismore Pace to record her first win of the season and a new lifetime mark of 1:52.2.

It was Big City Betty (Jim Marohn Jr.)—along with Agent Q an elimination winner a week ago—offering up some wild early speed, as in a :27 opening quarter. Pole-sitting Warrawee Sunshine (Tim Tetrick) broke and left the course, while Caviart Cherie (Jason Bartlett) was away second, ahead of 1-4 choice, Agent Q.

Tequila Monday, a rallying second to Agent Q a week ago, started from post position seven here and found a comfy four-hole which ended up serving her very well. Big City Betty did a better rating job, getting a :56.2 intermission. It mattered not, as Agent Q swallowed her whole down the backside the second time.

However, once Agent Q moved, Tequila Monday moved right with her and as completely as Agent Q inhaled Big City Betty, Tequila Monday scarfed down Agent Q.

Last season’s New York Sire Stakes freshman champion, Tequila Monday saw a 1-3/4 lead in and out of the final turn widen to 4-3/4 lengths at the (1:52.2) wire. The time in the 13th Lismore was a life-best and just a tick off Tyra’s (Tim Tetrick, 2014) stakes record.

Agent Q did save second, with Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy) third. Caviart Cherie and Gotthisone Hanover (George Brennan) grabbed the minor money, with Ashlee’s Spitfire (Dan Dube), Big City Betty and Warrawee Sunshine rounding out the order.

For second choice Tequila Monday, a daughter of American Ideal, trained by Chris Oakes for co-owners Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey, it was her first win in three seasonal start For her career she has five wins and three seconds in eight starts. The exacta paid $25.80. with the triple returning $107.50.

“She’s got a lot of ability and just needs some ironing out,” Sears said. “Sometimes, she gets steppy. She made a break in the final of New York Sire Stakes and was able to overcome it. With a shoeing change, she was real solid (tonight).”

Saturday night’s $55,000 Open Handicap Pace was won by a repeating Mach It So (Brent Holland, $4.40) in a snappy 1:51.3.