First Yonkers Open win for Gia’s Surreal

Gia’s Surreal captured the top harness racing class on Thursday at Yonkers for the first time since moving to back to the United States in April.

Driver Scott Zeron tucked her in third behind two-across leaders going into the first turn. He waited for their battle to end before sending Gia’s Surreal on the march first-over, and the five-year-old mare took the lead prior to the first quarter mile’s completion in :27.1. Gia’s Surreal guided her five opponents to the half in :56.2 but was forced to accelerate going to three-quarters as Dragon Roll (Austin Siegelman) made her presence felt from first-over.

Zeron asked Gia’s Surreal for a final push down the lane, and the mare neutralized Dragon Roll with a :28 final quarter to secure the win in 1:52.1. Dragon Roll failed to break through after a first-up journey and finished second by a length. Surreal Feeling (Jason Bartlett) closed quickest but could only manage a third-place finish.

GIA’S SURREAL REPLAY

Gia’s Surreal, a five-year-old So Surreal mare, improved her record to 23-for-68 lifetime and expanded her career bankroll to $344,626. Nik Drennan trains for Hamburg residents James Graham and Thomas Mariano, Edward Peron of Syracuse, and Lee Winters of Medina.

The mare raced mainly in the New York Sire Stakes at two and three, also competing in overnights at Batavia Downs. She shipped to Woodbine Mohawk Park for new connections during her four-year-old season and raced 21 times there before moving back to the United States for the Drennan barn in 2021.

Zeron and Siegelman shared the evening’s top honours with three wins each.

George Brennan is now just four wins shy of the 11,000 mark. He could hit the milestone on Friday, as he has five drives on the 12-race Yonkers card that features eliminations for the Yonkers Trot, Messenger Stakes, Park MGM Trot, and New York New York Mile. Racing will begin at 7:15 p.m. EDT.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink