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

Yonkers, NY — Jim Morrill, Jr. figured to have a lot to say about the goings-on in Friday night’s (August 24) $285,060 New York Sires Stakes Armand Palatucci Trot at Yonkers Raceway.

He did, though there was another surprising participiant in the conversation.

Morrill drove the minscule mutuel favorite in all three $95,020 divisions. Two cruised, one capsized.

Conway Court trotted the night’s fastest Sires Stakes race in the night’s final event, traversing the tight turns in 1:58.4. The son of Conway Hall, leaving from post position three, was looped by Ten Speed Kid (Stephane Bouchard) before grabbing the controls.

With divisions of :29.1, :59 and 1:29.1, Conway Court was 2-1/2 lengths to the good turning for home. He won under wraps by 2-3/4 lengths, his sixth victory (and 10th board finish) in a dozen seasonal starts. Contrary (Dan Daley) was a best-of-the-rest second, with Cyber Hall (Howard Okusko, Jr.) along for third.

The 1-5 ($2.50) winner, trained by Larry Remmen for co-owners Paolo Rosanelli and John Siena, led a $4.40 exacta and $18.80 triple. Conway Court, second to Flirtin’ Man in his $117,250 Zweig division at Tioga last weekend, is approaching $180,000 in ’07 earnings.

Morrill also had minimal discomfort when Hitwiththeladies, last season’s frosh divisional champ, won the middle grouping. The son of Giant Hit led every step through fractions of :29.4, :59.4 and 1:30.1 before winning by a trio of lengths in an easy 1:59.2. Rushmore Hanover (Jeff Gregory) and Magic (Tony Mondi) rounded out the board finishers, with the exacta paying $8.30 and the triple worth $36.40.

Hitwiththeladies ($2.50), owned and trained by Allan McCarty, is now 4-for-10 this season with earnings nearing $170,000. He’s a solid 12-for-20 in his two racing seasons, the bankroll just under $364,000.

Morrill’s adventure was far from excellent in the night’s first NYSS event, when divisional leader Bet To Win — at 1-20 — jumped it off in the first turn. The son of Credt Winner, with seven consecutive victories (including a Zweig division) to his credit coming in, wound up distanced.

Missile T (Bouchard), a 15-1 proposition, closed up the pylons after yielding to New Hampshire Boy (Ray Schnittker). The former beat the latter — who led through pit stops of :29.3, 1:00.2 and 1:31 — by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:59.3. Sand Amory (Greg Grismore), at 34-1, was a first-up third.

Missile T, a son of Master Of Style trained by Ken Ball for owner Molly Rice, returned $33.60 for his fourth win in a dozen ’07 efforts. He led a $130 exacta and $909 triple.

“The two I won with (Conway Court and Hitwiththeladies), I never had to ask at all,” Morrill said. “(Bet To Win) just never felt good scoring down. I can’t say for sure. Maybe it was because he raced five days ago (in the Zweig).

“Conway Court did, too, but he’s a better-gaited horse.”

As for his choice nearing the $1.2 million New York Night of Champions here, Morrill played the waiting game.

“I’ve been lucky that they’ve drawn away from one another,” he said. “I really haven’t made that decision yet, but I know it’s coming.”

Friday night’s pair of usual $30,000 co-features went to Stonebridge Kisses and Grain Of Truth.

Stonebridge Kisses (Eric Goodell) won her second consecutive Filly and Mare Open ‘Cap Pace, again going first-up. The 7-year-old Artiscape miss ($6.90) defeated her lasses in 1:53.2.

Grain Of Truth took advantage of the pylon starting locale in the Open Trot, prevailing off a pocket trip for his second win in succession. The 6-year-old Self Possesssed gelding won by a half length in a life-best 1:56.1.

Live racing is currently offered at Yonkers with six programs per week — Monday through Saturday nights at 7:40 p.m. Harness and thoroughbred simulcasting is available seven days a week, while Empire City’s nearly 5,500 video gaming machines are in play daily from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.

A final friendly reminder that the $644,770 final of the Yonkers Trot goes Saturday night. The 53rd edition of the Trot, second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, features eight 3-year-olds — seven colts and one gelding. Elimination winners Adrian Chip (Robert Bergh) and Primary AS (Trond Smedshammer) start from post position five and six, respectively.

Saturday’s program also includes the $300,330 final of the Hudson Filly Trot, also for 3-year-olds. The Yonkers Trot and Hudson are races six and seven on the 10-race program.