Glasser and Yarock win Billings events at Yonkers Raceway
October 19, 2017,by John Manzi, for the Billings Series
Yonkers, NY — A pair of Davids were victorious in short field East Region Billings trots at Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (Oct. 19). The first split saw David “Poppa” Glasser guide Celebrity Stimulus to a gate-to-wire triumph in 1:59.4 while Dave “Steady As” Yarock used a similar route in which to get he and his trotter’s picture taken in the winner circle.
These were the ninth and 10th amateur contests since the week began on Sunday (Oct. 15) and it’s no wonder that the scheduled Billings trot at Dayton didn’t fill on Saturday. But tonight in the greater New York City area the beat went on at Yonkers Raceway.
In his split Glasser sent his own Celebrity Stimulus to the lead from the three-hole and with no threatening challenges Glasser got his charge by the first quarter in a soft :30.1. When the trailers settled in behind the leader Celebrity Stimulus had things his own way and raced on the lead all the way to the wire and finished 1-1/4 length ahead of Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff’s War Cry Hall.
Third place went to Wygant Prince, driven by “Coach Paul” Minore.
The winner, a 7-year-old Cantab Hall gelding is owned by Glasser Racing LLC and trained by Homer Hockstetler. For Glasser it marked his sixth seasonal driving triumph and 38th of his amateur racing career.
Not to be outdone, Yarock also sent his trotter, Landonfitz, to the front and they never ensued a challenge even as Yarock stole soft fractions.
Landonfitz led three others by the quarter in :31 and half in 1:03 and then picked up the pace and trotted the next furlong in :29.3 with “Yankee Joe” Lee in hot pursuit with Flirting Duezy.
After passing the third stanza in 1:32.2 a :29.2 final quarter kept all challengers at bay. Flirting Duezy held on for second while Tony “the Capo” Verruso garnered the show dough with Sam’s Honeybee in the 2:02.1.
Landonfitz, a 7-year old altered son of Jailhouse Jesse, is owned by Yarock and trained by Shawn Christner. For Yarock it marked his fifth seasonal driving victory and 61st of his career.