HarnessLink
Lazarus — standing at Wai Eyre Farm

Art Rooney pays homage to Steelers Patriarch

By Harnesslink ·

The Art Rooney Pace, which pays homage to the Pittsburgh Steelers founding father and Rooney Family patriarch, will be contested this Saturday night, May 27, at Yonkers Raceway. The Rooney is in its 27th edition, and the stakes race for harness racing three-year-old colts and geldings is worth $300,000.
 

World champion Downbytheseaside drew post position No. 3 and Dave Miller will drive.

The son of Somebeachsomewhere, won last week’s lone $40,000 elimination race in 1:52.2, and is trained by Brian Brown for co-owners Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Richard Lombardo and Diamond Creek Racing. 

Miller won the Rooney in back to back years behind Ashlee’s Big Guy in 2002, and No Pan Intended (via disqualification) in 2003.

In 15 career starts, “Seaside” has never missed the board with 10 wins, three seconds, and a pair of thirds en route to $616,016 in career earnings.

He is two for two in 2017.  

Mr. Miller will look to pull off the unique Rooney-Lismore double, driving Agent Q. in the evening’s companion feature, the $140,770 Lismore for three-year-old fillies (more details later).

 
DOWNBYTHESEASIDE WINS ROONEY ELIMINATION.jpg

Downbytheseaside looks to make waves in Rooney

The Rooney is carded as the 8th race of the evening with post time set for approximately 9:30 PM. The Rooney family purchased Yonkers Raceway in 1972, and Art’s son Tim Rooney, Sr. has been president and CEO since then. Empire City Casino was launched at the raceway in 2006.

 
The beloved “Chief” was an ardent racing fan, and legend has it that he won the fortune which funded the Steelers during a two-day spree at Yonkers and Saratoga.
 
ROONEYS ART AND TIM

Tim with family patriarch Art Rooney Sr., he’s a chip off the old block.

Here’s the Rooney draw in post position order with drivers in parenthesis:

 
1-Mac’s Jackpot (Jason Bartlett); 2-Miso Fast (Matt Kakaley); 3-Downbytheseaside (Dave Miller); 4-Rollin’ About; (Brent Holland); 5-Funknwaffles; (Brian Sears); 6-Summer Side (Tim Tetrick); 7-Henry the Dragon (Montrell Teague); 8-Stealth Bomber (Brett Miller).
 
TIM ROONEY JR LIGHTS UP

Tim Rooney, Jr. lights one up

The companion event, the 13th edition of the Lismore for three-year-old pacing fillies (6th race, approx. post 8:50 PM), offers a final purse of $140,770.  Here’s the field:

 
1-Warrawee Sunshine (Tetrick), 2- Caviart Cherie (Scott Zeron), 3- Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy) 4-Agent Q (Dave Miller), 5-Big City Betty (Jim Marohn Jr.), 6-Gotthisone Hanover (George Brennan), 7-Tequila Monday (Sears), 8-Ashlee’s Spitfire (Dan Dube).

AGENT Q LISMORE ELIMINATION.jpg

Dave Miller hoping for double trouble with Agent Q in the Lismore

 Agent Q (1:55.1) and ‘Betty’ (1:55.2) won last week’s $20,000 elimination races.
 
In addition to the high-end racing program, there’s an Art Rooney Pace hat giveaway (one per Empire Club member, while supplies last).ART ROONEY CAP CORRECT.jpg
Lazarus — standing at Wai Eyre Farm
Categories
USA

Comments

Sign in to comment

New here? Create a free account

More from USA