Streaking Howlenthehills leads winners in NY Sire Stakes

Starting from outside positions on the gate proved no problem for 3-year-old male pacer Howlenthehills (American Ideal) and 3-year-old female pacer Tarrific (Huntsville) as they cruised to harness racing victories in their respective $225,000 New York Sire Stakes championships Saturday at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

Winning the $225,000 NYSS finals for 2-year-old pacers were colt Courts On Fire and filly The Last Martini.

Howlenthehills, who started from post eight on the half-mile oval at Yonkers with Matt Kakaley in the sulky, bettered defending NYSS champ Boston Rocks by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:53 to capture his crown. Vandiemen Bluechip nosed out Taranaki for third.

Vandiemen Bluechip, driven by Braxten Boyd, and Boston Rocks, with driver Jason Bartlett, took turns on the lead before Howlenthehills grabbed the top spot for good prior to reaching the opening quarter in 27.1. From there, Howlenthehills got to the half in 56 seconds and three-quarters in 1:24.2 on his way to his sixth consecutive victory and 12th in 13 tries this season.

“[Getting to the front] was kind of my plan, but if they were going to mix it up, he’s actually OK off a helmet, too,” Kakaley said. “He doesn’t need to be on the front. He’s a good horse and he tries hard. It’s been a good year.”

Trained by Travis Alexander, Howlenthehills is owned by Symmetry Stables. The son of American Ideal-Arielle Lynn was bred by Crawford Farms. Winless in eight races as a 2-year-old, the gelding has earned $539,209 lifetime.

HOWENTHEHILLS REPLAY

Howlenthehills paid $6.50 to win as the 2-1 second choice behind even-money favorite Boston Rocks. The exacta paid $13; the trifecta $65.

Tarrific (Huntsville-Road Bet) won the championship for sophomore fillies by 2 3/4 lengths over A Few Choice Words in 1:53. Avyanna finished third.

A Few Choice Words and driver Jim Marohn Jr. took the early lead from post six, but Tarrific, who started from post seven, pushed forward with Bartlett in the sulky and got to the front prior to reach the opening quarter in 27.4. She remained in control from there, hitting the half in 57.1 and three-quarters in 1:25.4.

“[Post] seven is not the easiest, so I was quite happy to see her make the lead without too much of a problem,” winning trainer Chris Ryder said.

Tarrific, bred by Stephen Dey III, counts Dan Patch Award-winner Niki Hill (also trained by Ryder), millionaire stallion Cattlewash, and Grand Circuit-winner Earthwindfire among her siblings. Tarrific was winless in seven starts last year but finished second on four occasions. This year, she has won six of 10 starts for owners Margaret Dey and Let It Ride Stables.

“She went a lot of fast miles [last year] but finished second a bunch of times and never was able to get the win,” Ryder said about Tarrific, who has earned $377,109 in her career. “But the 2-year-old experience helped her a lot starting back this year. She’s reeling off wins this year in New York very well. We’re just very grateful.”

TARRIFIC REPLAY

Tarrific, the 1-5 favorite, paid $2.40 to win. The exacta returned $11 and the trifecta $55.50.

In the final for the 2-year-old fillies, The Last Martini (Huntsville) overtook 1-5 favorite Cowgirl Hanover in mid-stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:54 in a battle between Jared Bako-trained stablemates. Send It Down Slim finished third.

Send It Down Slim and driver Mark MacDonald blasted from post seven to grab the lead heading to the first turn, but Doug McNair soon had Cowgirl Hanover in motion and was on top as they reached the opening quarter in 28 seconds.

Cowgirl Hanover hit the half in 56.4 and three-quarters in 1:25.3 but was under first-over pressure from The Last Martini and driver Bartlett, who were third for the first half of the race, as the field made its way to the final turn. The Last Martini got the job done from there, picking up her third win in six races this season.

The Last Martini had finished second to Cowgirl Hanover in her previous start on Aug. 23 at Vernon Downs. The two also met Aug. 14 at Batavia, where The Last Martini handed Cowgirl Hanover her only loss in seven starts heading into Saturday’s NYSS final.

THE LAST MARTINI REPLAY

“They’re an incredible pair of fillies to train,” Bako said. “The Last Martini didn’t get started as early as Cowgirl, that’s why she doesn’t have the same kind of record. But, at the end of the day, they both can’t win every week.

“I thought Cowgirl was as good as anything off of that trip, and [The Last Martini] just really stepped up.”

The Last Martini is owned by Glenview Livestock. The daughter of Huntsville-Martinique was bred by Crawford Farms. She has earned $246,294.

“She was really good in her last start, she just got locked in, so I knew we had a good shot,” Bartlett said. “It got a little scary leaving; she almost made a break because she was touching her knees a little bit, but as she got settled in, she was good.”

Sent off as the 2-1 second choice, The Last Martini paid $6.40 to win. The exacta was $8.30, and the trifecta returned $28.

Courts On Fire (Courtly Choice-Ashlee’s Spitfire) closed the MGM Yonkers International Trot Day card with a 14-1 upset in his NYSS final, defeating Holt Hanover, sent off at 22-1, by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:53.3. Thirsty Thursday, the 4-5 co-favorite with Fast Choice, who made an early break, finished third.

Yannick Gingras hustled Courts On Fire to the lead from post six before yielding the top spot to Thirsty Thursday and driver Kakaley on their way to a 27.1 opening quarter. Courts On Fire remained in the pocket through a half in 56.1, then was put in motion to challenge Thirsty Thursday just prior to hitting three-quarters in 1:25.

Courts On Fire took the lead exiting the last turn and continued on to his second win of the season in seven starts. He has finished in the top three a total of six times.

COURTS ON FIRE REPLAY

Trainer Blake MacIntosh owns Courts On Fire with Hutt Racing Stable, Tim Klemencic, and Daniel Plouffe. He was bred by Winbak Farm and has earned $198,188.

“He’s been a nice colt all year,” MacIntosh said. “He’s a little bit of a lazy horse and Yannick woke him up a bit today and he got the job done.

“I knew that if he got a trip and Yannick was aggressive with him, he’d have a shot. I didn’t know if he could get by Thirsty Thursday there, but he just dug in and kept going. Everything just worked out perfect for him. Yannick gave him a super drive.”

Courts On Fire, who MacIntosh said was finished racing this year, paid $31.20 to win. The exacta returned $342, and the trifecta paid $683.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From Yonkers Raceway