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

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s Saturday (July 21) card is highlighted by the $119,000 final of the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

Post time for the baker’s dozen bonanza is 7:10 p.m., with the feature going as the sixth race (approximate post 9 p.m.).

The Sheppard — a Raceway stakes staple for decades which was named for the man who helped make Hanover Shoe Farms a giant in the breeding business — returns after a nine-year hiatus.

In the interest of full disclosure, the Sheppard actually returned last Saturday night, with a trio of $25,000 eliminations. Those elims produced these eight finalists, with the open draw producing the requisite intrigue.

Doctor Butch (Jason Bartlett) turned in the fastest effort a week ago, strolling home by four lengths in 1:55.2. However, the ($55,000) Art Major-Classical Yankee colt, owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by Linda Toscano, needed better friends in the race office after landing the eight hole for the final. Doctor Butch began his career with a second-place effort in a Monticello New York Sire Stakes event.

Scalped (Cat Manzi, post four) and OK Fame (Brent Holland, post six) won the other elims, in 1:56.1 and 1:56.3, respectively.

The former, a ($4,000) son of Bettor’s Delight-Spirit Of The West, owned by Brenda Teague and trained by George Teague, Jr., also won a sire stakes event at Monticello, while the latter, a homebred son of The Panderosa-Mary Artman, was up by a nose in a race with final-yards tight quarters. Mark Ford co-owns with breeder Oak Knoll Stables and trains.

The author’s choice for early favoritism went to Rocnrolwilneverdie (George Brennan, post two), who, as the 3-5 choice to Scalped a week ago, threw down a big, back-half challenge before ending up third. The ($55,000) son of Rocknroll Hanover-Where The Heart Is is trained by Chris Ryder for co-owners Frederick Schwartz, Shirley Schwartz and ONDA Racing Stable.

The field for the final of the Sheppard, with drivers and morning line odds: 1-Dealmaker (Larry Stalbaum), 6-1, 2-Rocnrolwilneverdie (George Brennan), 8-5, 3-A Bettor World (Jim Pantaleano), 10-1, 4-Scalped (Cat Manzi), 5-1, 5-Americasgottalent (Eric Goodell), 5-1, 6-OK Fame (Brent Holland), 8-1, 7-Hail The Taxi (Jordan Stratton), 12-1, 8-Doctor Butch (Jason Bartlett), 4-1.

Bartlett also drove Scalped to his elim win, but chose Doctor Butch for the final. Dealmaker is the lone gelding in the field.