by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Pet Rock (Brian Sears) proved best from the pocket Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $306,204 Art Rooney Pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

The 22nd edition of the Rooney–named for the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers and patriarch of the family which has owned Yonkers Raceway since 1972–began with Dynamic Youth (Andrew McCarthy), the lone gelding in the group, making a break.

As expected, the remaining rivals lined up behind pole-sitting, 3-5 favorite Bolt the Duer (Mark MacDonald). Pet Rock was afforded the luxury of a first-turn pocket, slipping in front of 60-1 rank outsider Domethatagain (Jim Morrill Jr.). Hurrikane Kingcole (Tim Tetrick) was away fourth.

Bolt the Duer found a :27.1 opening quarter-mile and 55.4 intermission, before Hurrikane Kingcole tried it first-up from fourth. However, he didn’t seem all that settled over the small track. Bolt the Duer, meanwhile, passed three-quarters in 1:23.

The favorite, owned a length-and-a-half lead turning for home, but began to bear out and wind up in close quarters with Hurrikane Kingcole. That left Pet Rock with ample room up the inside, which he took en route to half-length win in 1:51. Pet Rock survived judge’s second look to remain second, with Hurrikane Kingcole, Major Bombay (Jason Bartlett) and Domethatagain rounding out the payees. Dynamic Youth was outrun after his early happenstance.

For Pet Rock, a son of Rocknroll Hanover owned by Frank Bellino of nearby Bronxville, NY, and trained by Virgil Morgan, he returned $10 (third choice) for his second win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $22.40, with the triple returning $46.80.

The mile, taken on a windy and cool evening, was both a stakes record (Fully Loaded-1:51.4 in 2001) as well as a new track record for 3-year-old colts (Riyadh-1:51.2 back in ’93).

“He’s just a sweetheart to drive,” Sears–who won this race for a second time–said. “I mean, I knew Mark wanted to cut the mile (with Bolt the Duer), but once I was able to get in behind, I figured he’d carry me. I was proud of him.”

“You never know how a horse is going to react in their first start over a half,” Morgan said, “but that was the case with the three of them (Pet Rock, Bolt the Duer, Hurrikane Kingcole). “I had no reason to think he wouldn’t handle it, and Brian gave him the perfect trip.

“The Bellinos are from here, and they wanted to race in the Rooney, and I’m glad for them. The history of this race is short fields. Tonight, there were only six going for $300,000. A lot of it is luck of draw and things might have worked out differently had we had the five or the six. The purse money here was better than the (New Jersey Sire Stakes) race at the Meadowlands and those races might have been tougher.

“I think this was a wise decision. This is a race that flies under the radar. Hopefully, we can move on from here.”