Six-Pack for Bartlett at Yonkers Raceway, as Leading Driver Continues Excellence

Sulky standout Jason Bartlett, the leading driver at Yonkers Raceway, is not one to rest on his laurels. On the heels of reaching the career 6,000 milestone last Thursday, the 34-year-old superstar reeled off six more winners on Saturday night (October 31st) at Empire City Casino’s historic half mile oval.

Bartlett’s six pack included both $40,000 headliners – the Open Handicap races for trotters and pacers. The native of Augusta, Maine, won half the races on the 12-race program, treating his backers on Halloween night.

Bartlett and Ideal Cowboy ($36.20) were the upsetters in the week’s featured pace, timed in 1:50.4, while the 6-5 favorite Melady’s Monet ($4.40) won the week’s marquee trot (1:55.1) from the difficult, far outside 8 post position.

Bartlett continued his assault on the Yonkers’ drivers standings at 419 dash victories, with a long lead over runnerup George Brennan, in quest of his fifth title.

In the featured pace, Ideal Cowboy, leaving from post position No. 7, went up and over Lucan Hanover (Brian Sears) after that one’s two-move, early intervals of :27.1 and :55.4. Ideal Cowboy moved from third, grabbing the lead at a 1:23 three-quarters. Take it Back Terry (George Brennan), at just over even-money, followed, but couldn’t match strides with the “Cowboy” as that one opened 3¼ lengths coming home. “Terry” closed the final margin late, but missed by a half-length.

Lucan Hanover, Soho Jackman A (Tyler Buter) and Big N Bad (Eric Carlson) came away with minor spoils. For sixth choice Ideal Cowboy, a 4-year-old American Ideal gelding co-owned by Bamond Racing and J&T Silva Stables, it was his seventh win in 21 seasonal tries, winning 33 percent of his starts in 2015. The exacta paid $66, with the triple returning $601.

Now, to Melady’s Monet, was assigned the outside eight-hole despite three weeks off. He tried to leave, but the drivers of several others inside of him had the same idea.

Monet was forced to take his artistry to the back of the pack, as DW’s NY Yank (Brennan) gave his backers hope for three-quarters of the mile (:27.3; :56.2, 1:25.4). Crazy About Pat (Buter), sitting an antsy pocket, pulled early, with Fort Valley AS (Carlson) slipping out behind that one.

As for “Melady,” he was last along the cones, then slipped out to race third-over, with nothing moving forward in front of him.

Sitting last, 6¾ lengths from the front as the field turned for home, Bartlett powered Melady’s Monet to the far outside, coming from last to first, defeating “Fort Valley” by a neck with an individual :27.4 final quarter. Third went to “DW,” with “Pat” and Can Do (Jordan Stratton) settling for the small change.

For Melady’s Monet, a 6-year-old Revenue S gelding trained by Kevin McDermott for owner Melady Enterprises, it was his 12th win in 25 ’15 tries. The exacta paid $21.20, with the triple returning $94.