by Frank Drucker

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s New York Sire Stakes Thursday night tenants were the 2-year-old colts and geldings, who went forth in the $237,630 Jim Meagher Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Great Vintage took the $47,706 3rd division of NYSS in a snappy 1:54.4.

Named to honor the memory of Yonkers’ long-time corporate controller, the event went in five divisions. Great Vintage threw down the evening’s fastest gauntlet, winning the $47,706 third (non-betting) event in a snappy 1:54.4. The son of American Ideal had obviously convinced John Campbell enough across the river to coax him over the bridge.

Leaving from post position No. 3 – and making his small-track debut – Great Vintage rolled through intervals of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:27, before putting up a cool :27.4 final quadrant. He defeated Mat’s Delight (Ray Schnittker) by 2-1/2 lengths with Flipper J fading to third.

For Great Vintage, trained by Jimmy Takter for his wife, Christina, along with Goren Anderberg, John Fielding and Falkbolagen AB, it was his third (consecutive) win in four frosh tries.

“He raced really well,” Campbell said. “He was green getting around the first turn, but when the other horse (Flipper J, with four victories in a row) came at him, he showed me something.”

Sir Ziggy’s Z Tam (trainer/driver Pat Lachance) made it a trio of NYSS wins in succession, brushing boldly down the backside in the $47,706 fourth division. He was on the move right about the time 9-10 favorite Bettor’s Green (Bartlett) jumped it off on the lead.

“Ziggy” went on to whip Twin B Idol (George Brennan) by three lengths in 1:55.3. Tampa Bay Escape (Cat Manzi) lost the place photo.

For Sir Ziggy’s Z Tam, a son of Art Major co-owned by Lachance, Ira Rosenblum and Z Tam Racing, he returned $4 (second choice) for that third win in four tries.

“He’s very versatile, but I didn’t want to worry about mixing it up early here,” Lachance said. “Once I asked him, he did the rest.”

Thursday night’s other NYSS events, worth $46,806, $47,706 and $47,706, respectively, were won by…

–Roadside Delight (by Bettor’s Delight); owner Dasvid McDuffee/trainer Richard Norman/driver Manzi; (life-best) 1:56.1/non-bettor;

–Overnight Delight (by Dream Away); co-owners (trainer) Paul Jessop & Donato Falcicchio/driver Brennan; (first life win) 1:57/non-bettor;

–Samandar (by American Ideal); owner M&L of Delaware/trainer Larry Rathbone/drievr Manzi, 1:56/$3.60.

New York Sire Stakes continue here Friday night, with the (rechristened) $283,848 Dick McGuire Trot for 3-year-old colts and geldings. The event has been drawn and quartered (races 4, 5, 7 & 9), with each worth $70,962.

McGuire, a basketball Hall of Famer, member of the New York Knicks organization for more than a half-century–and devout horse player–died this past February at the age of 84.