Racing Roundup: Brando’s Muscle Man takes top trot at Yonkers
February 15, 2013,from harness publicists across North America
Friday’s (February 15) edition of Racing Roundup features a results stories from Yonkers Raceway, Buffalo Raceway and Northfield Park.
Brando’s Muscle Man takes top trot at Yonkers
Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s pair of Friday night, $35,000 co-featured Open Handicaps–for trotters and prom-worthy pacers–were won by a season-debuting Brando’s Muscle Man (George Brennan, $17.60) and Hot List (Matt Kakaley, $15.40).
Mike Lizzi photo
Brando’s Muscle Man (8) won his season’s debut in 1:55.3 in Friday’s Open Handicap Trot at Yonkers Raceway.
Assigned outside his seven rivals for his first purse try in nearly two months, Brando’s Muscle Man made the lead around Affirmed Action (Jason Bartlett) before a :28.3 opening quarter-mile. Affirmed Action then retook the lead as lone lass Sugar Queen Gabby (Mark MacDonald), out since the outset, kept advancing.
It was Sugar Queen Gabby finally going to the lead before a :57.4 intermission. Brando’s Muscle Man took out of third going toward the 1:26.4 three-quarters, with Celebrity Bluechip (Kakaley) now in pursuit. Brando’s Muscle Man owned a half-length lead into the lane, while Celebrity Bluechip was sizing his up. The leader dug in and the chaser hung, with Brando’s Muscle Man winning by a nose in 1:55.3.
Enrico AS (Jordan Stratton), Affirmed Action and Sugar Queen Gabby rounded out the payees. Looking Hanover (Brian Sears) offered less than nothing as the 17-10 choice, finishing last among the octet.
For Brando’s Muscle Man, a 5-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding owned and trained by Gilberto Garcia-Herrera, he won as the fifth wagering choice. The exacta paid $188.50, with the triple returning $1,506.
The distaff dance saw Hot List tuck in fourth from her outside eight-hole venue. She watched while 2-1 favorite Mystical Diva (Sears) pocketed Don’t Point At (Jeff Gregory), with Warrawee Koine (Bartlett) sequestered third.
After early intervals of :27.2 and :57.1, Hot List was back at it, engaging the leader down the backside while Chief Karen (Larry Stalbaum) was gapping second-over. After a 1:25.2 three-quarters, Mystical Diva maintained a short lead in and out of the final turn, but was getting pummeled from all precincts.
Hot List continued her grind, getting the jump on a pylon-skimming Warrawee Koine and beating that one by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.3. Third went to Don’t Point, who left the cones, with Mystical Diva and Frontierpan (Dan Dube) grabbing the remainder.
For Hot List, a 5-year-old daughter of McArdle trained by Ron Burke for co-owners himself (as Burke Racing), Joe DiScala Jr. and Cynthia Lynn Massari, it was her second win (as the fifth choice) in four ’13 tries. The exacta paid $69.50, the triple returned $497.50 and the superfecta paid $1,338.
— Frank Drucker
Buffalo Raceway
Talladega Hanover, a 6-year-old Cantab Hall gelding, won the $11,000 featured trot in 1:57.4, a season’s best, for owners Www Ventures LLC, of Woodville Ohio, here at Buffalo Raceway Friday night (February 15), over a fast track. It was the third win in five attempts this season for Talladega Hanover. Driver Shawn Gray put Talladega Hanover ($3.60), the prohibitive favorite in the race, on the lead, took no prisoners, and set all the fractions in the race, :29.2, :58.2, and 1:27.3. A :30.1 last quarter-mile put the winner 5-1/2 lengths ahead of second place finisher Most Wanted Lindy (Billy Dobson) at the finish line. Macksmith (John Cummings, Jr.) came in third. The winning time was the fastest trot this year at the Raceway. Trained by Dan Walski, the $5,500 share of the winning purse put Talladega Hanover’s season’s earnings at $15,650, and $119,860 lifetime. It was his 13th win in 83 lifetime starts.
Northfield Park
Matt’s Wolfey paced home for her third straight win Friday (February 15) in Northfield Park’s opening race. The seven-year old owned by Lav Racing Stable, Inc. of Lyndhurst, New York, is trained by Northfield Park’s leading trainer, D J Milner. Keith Kash Jr. drove Matt’s Wolfey in 1:56:3 and has drove her to her last three wins. The victory increased Matt’s Wolfey’s (Final Cheers-Urka-Apaches Fame) lifetime wins total to 19 and her career earnings to $123,230. She returned $19.40 to win. In Friday’s seventh race, Queenies Alibi garnered her third straight win too. The seven-year old is owned in partnership by Charles Stewart and Gay Bankson, both of Alexandria, Indiana and is trained by Barry Langley. Tyler Smith has driven the mare for all three of her victories. She returned $2.80 to win. Queenies Alibi (His Alibi-Cam Queen-Electric Yankee) has 19 career triumphs and earnings of $172,445.