Champions crowned in NY Sire Stakes trotting finals

Trotters of both sexes and gaits came to MGM Yonkers Raceway on Saturday afternoon (September 7) to contest four $225,000 New York Sire Stakes harness racing finals.

R Melina (Chapter Seven) kicked off the finals with a 1:54.4 triumph in the event for 3-year-old fillies. Senorita Palema (Ake Svanstedt) blasted to the front from post three and led the way through fractions of 28, 57.3 and 1:26.1. Meanwhile, R Melina (Tyler Buter) tucked into fourth from post seven, came first-up passing the half and made it into second on the outside prior to three-quarters.

On the final turn, Buter was able to get into the pocket as Sister Mary Maude (Joe Bongiorno) gapped that position, and after briefly “bravening up,” Buter brought R Melina back off the cones before they turned for home. Senorita Palema was game and dug in under Svanstedt’s urging through the stretch drive, but R Melina wouldn’t be denied and surged by her to prevail by half a length. Sadbirdstillsing (Jason Bartlett) turned a second-over trip into a third-place finish. Sister Mary Maude and Hippie Shake (Mark MacDonald) completed the top five.

“She raced huge. It was unfortunate to draw the seven-hole, but she overcame it,” said Buter. “She’s very gritty. As long as you give her a little breather, she’s going to race good for you.”

Trainer John Butenschoen said that R Melina will be heading to Woodbine Mohawk Park to race in the Elegantimage Stakes providing she comes out of today’s contest in good shape.

R MELINA REPLAY

R Melina was bred by Marsh Valley Standardbreds and is owned by M And L Of Delaware LLC. and Alabama Harness Associates LLC. R Melina has 14 wins, two seconds and two thirds in 23 appearances, has pocketed $827,014 and returned $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite. She led a $14.00 exacta and a $56.50 trifecta.

MGM Yonkers Trot champion Sir Pinocchio (Met’s Hall, Bartlett) was a 1:54.2 victor in the final for sophomore male trotters. Sir Pinocchio drew post eight, but thanks to two scratches, moved into the six-hole. He took advantage of the improved starting position by blasting out and clearing Super Duper Cooper (Yannick Gingras) with little dispute on the first turn.

Once he had command, Sir Pinocchio was on top at the 28.2 quarter, 57.3 half and 1:26.2 three-quarters, then pulled away from his competition for a four length victory. Super Duper Cooper held second, with Nottingham (David Miller), Thinker Monkey (Scott Zeron) and Keep Asking (Buter) coming in third through fifth, respectively.

“I worked hard all year to follow these horses and so far it’s worked out pretty well,” remarked Bartlett. “I was just worried a little bit about the first turn and making sure he got through there. On the last turn he had a lot of trot, I was just hoping he didn’t over-trot himself. He was really good today again. It seems like he’s getting a little better right now as the season’s kind of winding down. He’s been great all year, don’t get me wrong, but he seems really good the last two starts.”

Sir Pinocchio was sent out by trainer Ed Hart for owner/breeder Carolyn Atherton. This was his tenth lifetime victory, he sent his earnings to $577,853 and returned $2.10 to win as the 1-9 choice. The exacta was worth $5.10 and the trifecta kicked back $41.60.

“He was really good today. He’s just a good horse who takes care of himself,” stated Hart. “He comes back in a week; he’s going to Canada for the Canadian Trotting Classic – elimination and the final – and then he’s got the Simpson and the Matron at Dover.”

SIR PINOCCHIO REPLAY

Variegated (Chapter Seven) (Braxten Boyd) pulled off a 55-1 stunner in the 2-year-old male trot, rallying up the inside from the pocket to break his maiden in 1:56.3. The complexion of the contest changed on the first turn when 1-5 choice Super Chapter (Dexter Dunn) made a break, allowing Happy Jack B (Buter) to go to the front and carve out a tempo of 28.1, 57 and 1:26.1 while Variegated sat in the two-hole and Civilian Drone (Gingras) made progress on the rim after going first-up from fourth on the third turn.

Civilian Drone sustained his bid into the lane and wrestled the lead away from Happy Jack B, but Variegated scooted through on the cones and got by Civilian Drone late for the victory by half a length. Moonshot S (Zeron) was the third-place finisher at 85-1, followed by Karinchak (Mark MacDonald) and Happy Jack B. Variegated did go inside one pylon coming off the last turn, but after posting the inquiry sign, the judges determined that he did not gain an unfair advantage and the result stood.

VARIEGATED REPLAY

“He’s been racing good in New York. He’s three seconds. He got the trip he needed and he just got there,” trainer Marcus Melander said, adding that Variegated is likely heading to The Red Mile. “Obviously I thought my other horse, Super Chapter, he was the one that was going to win that race because I think he was very much the best, but he made a break in the first turn.”

Bred by Order By Stable, Variegated is a Chapter Seven colt owned by S R F Stable. He won for the first time in his seventh trip behind the gate, has put away $206,570 and returned $113.00 to win. The exacta was $1,042.00 and the trifecta $18,981.

Royal Mission (Chapter Seven) gave Melander both halves of the 2-year-old trots when she took the filly tilt in 1:58.2 for Zeron. After DW’s Lady Diva scratched and Morning Angel (Bjorn Goop) and Beautiful Sight (Buter) broke early, just My Debt Collecter (Miller), Royal Mission and Calculus Risk (Jordan Stratton) were left in contention, and My Debt Collecter chopped out panels of 29.1, 1:00.2 and 1:29.4 with Royal Mission second and Calculus Risk third.

Zeron guided Royal Mission to the outside on the last turn and appeared to have an advantage on My Debt Collecter coming off the bend, but My Debt Collecter was game and battled all the way to the wire. She just couldn’t rally back around Royal Mission, though, as she kept her head in front. Calculus Risk got third, followed by Beautiful Sight and Morning Angel.

ROYAL MISSION REPLAY

“She raced good. She’s done great all year to be honest. The final last time in the Peaceful Way, just forget it. She got a little excited there, too, and he might have choked her a little bit,” Melander explained. “She raced good in the elimination and she’s been racing good all year. This is the kind of trip she likes, too, chasing down other horses.

“She’s staked to most stuff, so we’ll see.”

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

From Yonkers Raceway