>

Waddon Wins Race Under Saddle

On Saturday night, Yonkers Raceway played host to the $400,000 Fall Harvest Series, but prior to the program, the Raceway presented its first-ever Racing Under Saddle exhibition, featuring seven accomplished horsewoman riding trotters at a distance of 9/16ths of a mile.

The event was won -- wire-to-wire -- by Sara Waddon, who guided You Go Girl in a minute and 10 seconds. S F Aceinthehole (Lindsay Greene) was second, with Wheres Harry (Helen Gregory) third. Also competing were Noelle Duspiva, Jennifer Lowery, Nicole Mellberg and Jennifer Connor.

The exhibition was enthusiastically received by patrons and participants alike, with Yonkers already looking for an encore performance.

"We all had so much fun," said Waddon. "There were some nerves, but once we were behind the gate, it's very competitive. I'm very excited and my horse was super. I really appreciate [trainer] Chris [Marino] letting me borrow her."

Eight $50,000 Harvest Series divisions were contested on the regular program for two and three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits, who were not eligible for last week's New York Night of Champions.

The winners were: two-year-old trotting filly Anandamide and George Brennan in 2:00.1; two-year-old trotting colt Armed Dangerously and Eric Goodell in 2:00.1; two-year-old pacing filly Bettor B Lucky and Jim Morrill Jr. (first life win) in 1:55.1; two-year-old pacing colts Union Man Hanover and Morrill Jr. in a career-best 1:54.3; three-year-old trotting filly Eight Bells and Per Henriksen in 1:59.4; three-year-old pacing filly Alexachase and Greg Merton in 1:54.3; three-year-old trotting colt Tigers Too Good and Jeff Gregory in 1:58; and three-year-old pacing gelding Sea Venture and Goodell in 1:54.4.

Special Saturday night props to McCedes ($9), who became harness racing's newest millionaire after he wired the $37,000, 12th-race pace. The six-year-old McArdle gelding, 21-for-123 lifetime, negotiated the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 2:00.4. Bartlett drove for co-owner/trainer Ron Burke.

(With files from Yonkers Raceway)