Guardian Angel AS, Yes Mickey, Downbytheseaside win eliminations for Yonkers Trot and Messenger
August 27, 2017,by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway Saturday night (Aug. 26) hosted a trio of $40,000 stakes eliminations, two for the 63rd edition of the Yonkers Trot and one for the 62nd Messenger Stakes.
The opening elimination for Yonkers Trot had a different feel before the outset when pole-sitting, third choice Enterprise (Tim Tetrick) broke behind the gate and effectively was eliminated from the elimination. That faux pas left the race as a two-choice, two-speed number, with even-money Devious Man (Andy Miller) waltzing around Westchester with fractions of :28, :59, and 1:28.1.
He was chased by the $30,000 buy-in, Yes Mickey (Ake Svanstedt). Devious Man, last season’s New York Sire Stakes champion, had a couple of lengths in and out of the final before Yes Mickey after leaving from post position four, received the memo. He dove inside, whipping Devious Man by a neck in 1:56.1.
Another Chapter (Dan Dube) was a distant, three-hole third, with 49-1 outsider Southwind Cobra (Matt Kakaley) a ‘distanter,’ four-hole fourth. As for Enterprise, he did catch the field but could not sustain a first-up offering.
For Yes Mickey, a Muscle Hill gelding trained by his driver for owner Mellby Gard Inc., it was his third win in 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $10, with the triple returning $43.20.
What’s been the difference for this season’s version of Yes Mickey after a one-start, $600 frosh season?
“He doesn’t break,” Svanstedt said, succinctly.
The second elimination for the Trot wound up with much more intrigue at the bottom than at the top, where a first-up, from post four, odds-on Guardian Angel AS (Jason Bartlett, $3.10) was grinding by Money Macintosh (Miller). The margin was a half-length in 1:56.2.
Money Macintosh led through intervals of :28.4, :58.1 and 1:27.1, holding second from entrymate Top Flight Angel (Brian Sears) as that one rallied from last among the six-pack. Di Oggi (Montrell Teague) and Southwind Hydro (Marcus Johansson) wound up in a dead-heat for fourth, which led to an unanswered question.
As of this writing (just past midnight Sunday morning), the author was unable to get a definitive answer regarding the field for next Saturday’s half-million final of the second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown. The top four finishers in each get invites, but how this ‘heater’ issue gets adjudicated is unknown…as of now. Updates when available.
For Guardian Angel AS, a statebred son of 2012 Yonkers Trot winner Archangel co-owned by ACL Stuteri AB & Kjell Johansson and trained by Anette Lorentzon, he’s now 7-for-12 this season. The exacta paid $4.40, with no triple wagering offered to a limited number (five) of wagering interests.
“I didn’t care where I was going to get away (fourth), and I didn’t care if I was going to be first-over,” Bartlett said. “I just didn’t want to tip him on his head leaving. He always gets over Yonkers very well.”
Mike Lizzi photos
Downbytheseaside made his advance to the Messenger final look quite easy with a dominating win in the sole elimination.
The Messenger’s game of ‘musical chairs’—nine 3-year-old colt/gelding pacers to eliminate one—wasn’t close to being a fair fight.
Art Rooney Pace winner Downbytheseaside (Brian Sears, $2.10, part of entry) made the lead before the half, then rolled home by 8-1/2 lengths in 1:51. Art Scene (Jordan Stratton) won the scrum for second, whipping the winner’s entrymate Blood Line (Mark Macdonald).
The latter made the lead passing a :27 opening quarter-mile, before Downbytheseaside, away third from post position three, found the front nearing the :56 intermission. He began losing his rivals in and out of a 1:23.3 three-quarters, taking six lengths into the lane.
Mac’s Jackpot (Bartlett) and first leader Summer Side (Ray Schnittker) earned the minors, while Funknwaffles (Corey Callahan), Henry the Dragon (Teague) and Miso Fast (Kakaley) also made next week’s $500,000 second jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown.
Beyond Delight (Dan Dube) was the odd horse out.
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 seventh win in 11 seasonal starts ($706,216). The exacta paid $9.10, with the triple returning $21.20.
“You never take anything for granted, especially in a nine-horse field,” Sears said. “He just has a tremendous turn of speed. I was so glad he won at Northfield (Milstein Memorial), because he deserved it after some tough luck and tough trips.”
Saturday night’s $50,000 Open Handicap Pace was won by a pocketed Caviart Luca (George Brennan, $17.20) in 1:52.2, a tick off his seasonal best.
- Yonkers Trot attracts 12, nine enter in Messenger Stakes (Monday, August 21, 2017)
Twelve 3-year-old trotters have been entered for Yonkers Trot No. 63, second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown and nine sophomore pacers have entered the 62nd Messenger Stakes, the second jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown.
- Yonkers Trot winner to get International invite (Tuesday, August 22, 2017)
Yonkers Raceway has announced that the winner of the 63nd Yonkers Trot shall automatically receive a Yonkers International Trot invitation.
- Trio of tracks to host Grand Circuit races this weekend (Wednesday, August 23, 2017)
Yonkers, Mohawk and Tioga will host Grand Circuit races this weekend.
- More mature Yes Mickey has blossomed in 2017 (Wednesday, August 23, 2017)
A year ago, Yes Mickey might have caused his connections to cry out “Oh no Mickey” more often than his actual name. The trotter was an immature 2-year-old who started only once — and went off stride in the stretch. The outcome was not completely unexpected. He frequently made breaks when training and in two of his three qualifiers. Yes Mickey was gelded during the winter and, together with time to mature, came back to work this year a different horse. He has finished first or second in eight of nine races and earned $222,487 for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt and owner Mellby Gard Inc.
- Julie Miller to start three in Yonkers Trot eliminations (Friday, August 25, 2017)
Of the 12 colts and geldings who will contest the eliminations of the Yonkers Trot, three are trained by Julie Miller. She will send out 9-5 morning line favorite Devious Man in the first $40,000 elimination in race six. The coupled entry of Money Macintosh and Top Flight Angel are 9-5 in the early odds behind Guardian Angel As at 8-5 in the second elimination one race later. Miller is hopeful all three of her starters will finish fourth or better to earn a spot behind the gate of the $500,000 final Saturday (Sept. 2).
- Rooney winner Downbytheseaside returns to Yonkers for Messenger elimination (Friday, August 25, 2017)
When he last raced at Yonkers, Downbytheseaside won the $300,000 Art Rooney Pace May 27. The victory was his fourth in a row after capturing the Governor’s Cup at Woodbine to end his 2-year-old season, taking his 2017 debut in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and winning the Rooney elimination May 20.
- Sears seeks second Messenger win with Downbytheseaside (Friday, September 01, 2017)
After sitting behind Downbytheseaside in his 8 1/2-length romp in the Messenger Stakes Elimination at Yonkers Raceway last week, driver Brian Sears likes the way the 3-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere is coming into the $500,000 Final and second leg of the Pacing Triple Crown Saturday night (Sept. 2). Sears drove Downbytheseaside through a :56.0 half last week and was a passenger as Downbytheseaside opened 6 lengths racing into the lane and powered away with a :27.2 final quarter.
- Healthier Mamora Bay returns in Hudson Trot (Saturday, September 02, 2017)
After a bout with a persistent sickness hindered Mamora Bay’s early season, trainer Sam Schillaci gave the 3-year-old filly some time to recover and brings her back in Saturday’s (Sept. 2) $119,010 Hudson Trot. Schillaci is confident his star trotter is back to her old self and feeling better heading into the Grand Circuit Stakes, one of four on the card at Yonkers Raceway.
- Sears completes the Messenger/Yonkers Trot double with Downbytheseaside and Top Flight Angel (Saturday, September 02, 2017)
World champion Downbytheseaside (Brian Sears) withstood a late charge from two rivals to win the $540,000 Messenger Stake final for 3-year-old colt pacers in 1:52.1 on Saturday night (Sept. 2) at Yonkers Raceway by a nose. Sears completed the Messenger/Yonkers Trot double when he steered Top Flight Angel to victory by the very same margin in the aforementioned contest later on a card that also included the Hudson Filly Trot and Lady Maud Pace.