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

Yonkers, NY — The New York Sire Stakes roadshow changes its downstate cast of characters Tuesday night (Aug. 7), with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $166,499 Mike Cipriani Trot for 3-year-old fillies.

The races again honor the memory of the Raceway’s long-time, award-winning photographer.

Post time for the 12-race wagering card is the usual 6:50 p.m., though the first $54,833 division of the sire stakes goes as the last of the four pre-program non-bettors (beginning at 5:30 p.m.).

Tuesday’s $55,833 first (second programmed) event is the sixth race, including Lima Novelty (Scott Zeron, post four) returning to the Empire. The daughter of Chapter Seven, owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by Linda Toscano, is four-for-six since adding hobbles, all the wins in statebred competition. Overall, she’s four-for-nine this season with earnings of $97,394.

Ciao Dolce (Ake Svandtedt, post two) chased Lima Novelty around Vernon in her last try, part of a symmetrical (eight starts, two wins, two seconds, two thirds) seasonal worksheet.

The second $55,833 carded division (third and final) of the Cipriani goes as the eighth race, with defending statebred champ Lucky Ava (Svanstedt) winning the draw among the half-dozen. The daughter of Lucky Chucky has offered up another solid season, as in four wins and three seconds in eight starts with earnings of $107,618. Svanstedt co-owns (with Little E LLC and Van Camp Trotting) and trains the lass, who has won half of her 18 career starts and banked $311,214.

Tribute To Seven (Scott Zeron, post two) is thrice a winner this season, hitting the board in all but one of her seven tries, while Dew To Win (Trond Smedshammer, post five) blew away a sire stakes field at Monticello as part of her resume.