Freshmen take center stage in NYSS Sorentino Trot at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway hosted the $150,300 New York Sire Stakes Michael Sorentino Trot for 2-year-old colts and geldings on Monday evening (July 8).

A pair of $50,400 wagering races and a non-betting division comprised the event.

The opening on-the-card division saw a maiden-breaking Berkery J (Jason Bartlett, $7.10) go right down the road. From post position two, he had no issues through splits of :29.2, 59.4, 1:29.2 and 1:58.2). The final widening margin was 7-1/4 lengths over even-money favorite Chaptiama (Trond Smedshammer).

R Herbie Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) and Miserable Mike (John Stark Jr.) finished the top four.

For second choice Berkery J, a son of Chapter Seven owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by George Ducharme, it was his first win. The exacta paid $13.20, the triple returned $78.50 and the superfecta paid $256.

”Very handy,” Bartlett said. “George (Ducharme) had him ready. He’s going to be a good half-mile (track) horse.”

Beerthirty K rallied late for a New York Sire Stakes win on Monday at Yonkers Raceway. Mike Lizzi photo.

The evening’s final state-bred event saw a three-wide Saylor and trainer-driver Doug R. Ackerman set ambitious fractions of :28.1, :58.3 and 1:28.3, and then hold well. However, he came under assault — first from pocket-pulling 9-10 choice Bourbon Express (Bartlett), and then from eventual winner Beerthirty K (Mike Simons, $12.20).

Away third from the pole, Beerthirty K was widest and fastest, drawing out to defeat the favorite by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:58. Saylor was third, despite being steppy though the lane, with Take the Credit (Svanstedt) fourth.

For third choice Beerthirty K, a Credit Winner colt trained by Bruce Borden for owner Don Atlas, it was his first win in two tries. The exacta paid $26.80, the triple returned $196.50 and the superfecta paid $409.

“Bruce (Borden) has brought him along beautifully,” Simons said. “He hasn’t done anything wrong and the trip here worked out for him.”

The $49,500 non-wagering Sire Stakes event was won by a down-the-road Barn Holden (Jeff Gregory) in 1:58. It was the first win for the homebred son of Conway Hall, co-owned by trainer Steve Pratt with Nancy Pratt, Purple Haze and Out Of The Country Stables.

New York Sire Stakes returns downstate Thursday night (July 11) with the $153,900 Clyde Hirt Pace for 2-year-old fillies.

Total purses for the 2019 New York-bred program are estimated at $14 million. For more information, please visit www.nysirestakes.com.

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