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

Yonkers, NY — The Empire’s annual caravan made its seasonal downstate debut Monday night (May 16), with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $164,672 New York Sire Stakes Joe Goldstein Trot for 3-year-old fillies.

Mike Lizzi photo

Longshot Young Bride broke her maiden in NYSS action on Monday.

Not that there’s ever a bad time to break a maiden, but going for $40,768 qualifies as a good time to do so. Pylon-diving (from post position No. 2), rank outsider Young Bride (Scott Young, $60.50) saved every inch of ground in the second statebred event, getting to the line a nose before Straight A Student (Mark MacDonald) in 1:58.3. Goosebump Hanover (Jim Morrill Jr.) was a pocketed third as the 11-10 favorite.

“I thought we had it won, but the stretch is long as I saw Mark (MacDonald, Straight A Student) coming on the far outside,” Young said after his first local drive. “We always thought this filly had some talent, but she was very hot as a 2-year-old. We’ve taken our time with her, and it seems to have paid off.”

Young Bride, a daughter of Lucky Chucky co-owned by Robert Young, Scott and Linda Worton and Premier & Associates Farm, is now one-for-four this season and one-for-eight in her brief career. The exacta paid $306.50, with the triple returning $915.

George Brennan doubled his sire stakes fun, ‘getting the bob’ in the $40,768 opening event with pole-sitter Lindylicious ($10.80) in a life-best 1:58.4. Dizzy Broad (Morrill) was second as the 9-5 favorite, with Dazzling Dollars (Trond Smedshammer) third.

For fourth choice Lindylicious, a Credit Winner miss co-owned by trainer Gilberto Garcia-Herrera and Donald and Barbara Arnstine, it was her second win in nine seasonal starts. The exacta paid $36.40, with the triple returning $118.50.

Brennan was a pocketed winner in the $41,568 third NYSS grouping with Credit To Thelimit ($7.20), who picked off Canstopwontstop (Sears) by a length in 1:59.1. Zette Starlet (Steve Smith) was a rallying third at 94-1, while 1-2 favorite Winning Princess (Morrill) jumped it off early.

For second choice Credit To Thelimit, a daughter of Credit Winner trained by Sam Schillaci for co-owners Peter Barbato, Matthew Bencic, Peter Bova and Jodi Schillaci, it was her first win in four ’16 tries, The exacta paid $28, with the triple returning $531.

The evening’s fastest was saved for the last, as last season’s frosh divisional champ, Non Stick (Dan Dube, $2.70), handily won her sophomore debut. From post No. 5 in the $41,568 final NYSS event, the odds-on miss sailed through intervals of :29, :58.3 and 1:27.3 for a life-best-matching 1:56.3. She defeated Swinging Royalty (Chris Lems) by 1-1/2 lengths, with Fad Finance (Smedshammer) third.

Non Stick, a Lucky Chucky lass co-owned by trainer Ake Svanstedt and Little E LLC, ran her perfect resume to seven-for-seven. The exacta paid $10.80, with the triple returning $34.20.