Sonofa Sizzle, In The Arsenal win Rooney elims at Yonkers
May 24, 2015,by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Brian Sears was the man about town Saturday night (May 23), winning Yonkers Raceway’s pair of $40,000 eliminations for the 25th Art Rooney Pace. A total of 13 3-year-old gentlemen — 11 colts and two geldings — began the night, with the first four finishers in each elim getting a pass into the stakes finale.
Sonofa Sizzle won his elimination in a time of 1:52.1.
Sears took the first event with a first-up Sonofa Sizzle ($9.90) in 1:52.1. He held off Betting Exchange (David Miller) by a neck after the front end folded. The front end came in the form of 6-5 favorite Soto (Brett Miller), who worked around Arque Hanover (Jason Bartlett) and threw down intervals of :27.2, :56 and 1:24.1.
Meanwhile, scourge of Delaware Sonaofa Sizzle, from post position No. 3, had engaged the leader before putting him away. He held off Betting Exchange, who was three-wide early before slipping out in the lane. Cartoon Daddy (catch-driver Dan Dube) was a never-threatening third, with Arque Hanover, despite breaking early in the lane, finishing fourth to get into the final. A tiring Soto and an outrun A Bettor Hat (George Brennan) rounded out the order.
For second choice Sonofa Sizzle, a son of Life Sizzles owned by Michael White and trained by Josh Green, it was his fourth win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $81.50, with the triple returning $190.
“He did everything I asked of him,” Sears said. “It helped that they mixed it up a bit early, but he was very sharp.”
Let’s not gloss over the “interesting” effort of Arque Hanover, who, in the words of his date, was a victim of too much pace and no place to go.
“I was overloaded,” Bartlett said. “He was definitely a winner. He had so much pace, he started getting crooked on me and made a break. It shows how good he was that he came back and made the final, anyway.”
The second elimination saw odds-on choice In The Arsenal ($2.50), whose debutante effort came in last season’s Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace here, barely prevail.
Leaving from post No. 2, he gave the first lead to Rock N’ Roll World (Dube) before a :28 opening quarter-mile. In The Arsenal then moved to the lead, completing his rounds (:57.2, 1:26, 1:53.1). Rock N’ Roll World, now a runner-up in all four races this season, tried In The Arsenal in the passing lane but missed by a head.
National Seelester (David Miller) and Bet You (Brett Miller) also earned their invites to return, while Rolling Ring Afire (catch-driver Tyler Buter), Western Pioneer (Brennan) and a breaking Penji Hanover (Mark MacDonald) completed the order.
For In The Arsenal, a son of American Ideal trained by Kelvin Harrison for co-owners (breeder) White Birch Farm and In The Arsenal Racing, it was his second win in as many ’15 tries. The exacta paid $10.20, with the triple returning $16.
“He’s more mature mentally and physically than he was at 2,” Sears said. “In elimination races, you have to race a favorite as if he’s the favorite, so I put him on the lead. He knows what he’s doing out there.”
The $300,000 final of the Rooney goes next Saturday night (May 30), along with the six-lass $117,724 Lismore (3-year-old pacing fillies). The open draw for both stakes takes place late Tuesday morning.
Saturday’s $42,000 Open Handicaps were won by (Trot) Luminosity (Brennan, $6.50) in 1:54.4 and (Pace) Duc Dorleans (MacDonald, $16.60) in 1:51.3.
No one took down the Saturday Pick-5, so Monday’s gimmick begins with a carryover of $4,501.50 and offers a $10,000 guaranteed pool (program pages available at www.yonkersraceway.com). The Pick-5 is a 50 cent base wager comprising races seven through 11 every racing program.
The Raceway’s live season continues Memorial Day evening (7:10 p.m.), Tuesday (1 p.m., pair of finals in the Jackpot Next Door Claiming Series), then Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 p.m.). Note there is no live racing or evening simulcasting June 3-12, inclusive. Afternoon simulcasting is available daily, including the June 6 Belmont Stakes.