For Madam Hooch, trained by Fred Grant for owner Russell Williams, she paid $3.50 for her fourth win (along with three seconds) in seven first-season starts. The exacta paid $17, with the triple returning $150.50.
Shamelessly hogging the face time, Simons
doubled his driving pleasure in the second
divisions.
He brushed
Connie to the lead around Sparkle
Hill (Bouchard) passing the half, and the Conway
Hall lass finished it from there.
Connie defeated that 7-5 choice by a length for a maiden-breaking 2:03.1 victory. Upside Blue Chip (Phil Fluet) was third.
For Connie, trained by Peter Foley for co-owners Eugene Oldford, Stephen Oldford and Mitchell Walker, she returned $13.20 (fourth choice) for that first win in a half-dozen seasonal starts.
Friday night's other NYSS divisions were won by...
--Sweetspellosuccess (by Credit Winner); co-owners American Viking Racing Stb,Rojan Stb,Gewertz/Feldman; trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer; (life-best) 2:04.2/$3.80;
--Tuesdays with Mom (by Credit Winner); owner-trainer Peter Arrigenna/driver Jeff Gregory; 2:02/$3.90.
This statebred event honors the memory of the former publicity director at the Raceway as well as NBC Sports. As is their custom, many family members of friends came out for the occasion.
Friday night's $50,000 Open Handicaps--Trot & Filly and Mare Pace--were won by Shutter Boy (Yannick Gingras, $6.80) in 1:56.4.ad Still Electric (Jason Bartlett, $17.60) in 1:54.
Saturday night offers eliminations for Yonkers Raceway's premier trotting events, the 55th Yonkers Trot and the Hudson Filly. The Trot pares 14 down to a final eight with a pair of $40,000 elims (races 8 and 9), while the Hudson's 11 fillies go after eight berths in the final with two, $20,000 trials (races 4 and 6).
Their respective finals go a week from Saturday night (Aug. 29), with purses of $670,774 (Yonkers) and $327,985 (Hudson).
Yonkers' regular five-night-per-week schedule (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) remains in effect. First post for all racing programs is 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.
Frank Drucker