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

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway on Thursday night (Aug. 22) played host to the statebreds, with the $289,775 New York Sire Stakes Jim Meagher Pace for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

Odds-on speed freak He’s Watching (Jim Morrill, Jr., $2.50) watched his manners in the final $97,725 event and, has been the case, his rivals watched him.

Mike Lizzi photo

He’s Watching won his fourth straight on Thursday at Yonkers.

Unhurried and wide into the first turn from post position No. 6, the 1-4 choice was looped by Sheppard Pace winner Forty Five Red (Yannick Gingras). He’s Watching then methodically marched to the lead, securing it right at the 28.3 opening quarter-mile. He found an identical :28.3 second quarter (:57.1 half) and what figured to be a match race did indeed take shape.

He’s Watching and Forty Five Red had the floor to themselves at the 1:25.3 three-quarters, with the former taking a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane. That would be a close as Forty Five Red would get, as He’s Watching widened as he wished.

The final margin was 5-1/2 lengths in 1:54.2. Third — beaten 11 lengths — was Hardts Or Bettor (George Brennan), with American Plan (Jason Bartlett) and New York Bets (Tim Tetrick) grabbing the remainder.

He’s Watching, a world record-holding son of American Ideal-Baberhood, co-owned by trainer Dave Menary, Brad Gray and Michael Guerrero, is a perfect four-for-four (all in NYSS) this season ($104,653 and counting for a three-grand yearling).

The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $4.10, with the triple returning $19.40.

“Honestly, I couldn’t have gone any slower,” Morrill said. “We’re going to find out more about him in the (Sept. 28 sire stakes) final.”

Prohibitive fave Stay Up Late (David Miller, $2.50) — from the pole — was a confident winner in the first $96,025 event. Moving from third, he engaged leading Bakersfield (Yannick Gingras) going by the three-quarters, then put him away early in the lane.

Stay Up Late whipped a pocket-sitting Archetto Hanover (Marcus Miller) by three-quarters of a length in 1:55. Sir Sam’s Z Tam (Pat Lachance) and Keystone Honor (George Brennan) rounded out the ticket for wagering purposes, while Bakersfield faded to last among the seven.

Stay Up Late, a son of Artiscape-Dreamland’s Jo Jo, trained by Casie Coleman for co-owners West Wins Stable and Christine Calhoun, is now two-for-four this season. The exacta paid $13.60, the triple returned $100.50 and the superfecta paid $559.

Trainer Coleman doubled her fun in the second $96,025 division as Design Guru (George Brennan, $5.60) was a handy winner. Nose on gate from post No. 3, he was untested en route to a life-best (by more than three seconds) and night’s fastest 1:54.1 effort.

The job of the second choice was simplified when 7-5 choice Thereisapaceforus (Yannick Gingras) broke in the first turn. That one did recover, but was never a factor.

The margin was 4-1/2 lengths, with Big Boy Dreams (Jim Morrill, Jr.) winning the scrum for second over a first-up Neat (Marcus Miller).

Design Guru, an Artiscape-Looknforagirllikeu gelding owned by Jeff Snyder, has a pair of wins in seven ’13 tries. The exacta paid $66.50, with the triple returning $231.