Page 3 - Eric Cancel News Today

Seacoast Thoroughbreds of New England’s New York homebred General Banker rallied impressively down the lane to break his maiden in Saturday’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible New York-sired juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Seacoast Thoroughbreds of New England owner John Forma’s relationship with prominent New York breeder and owner Joe McMahon came full circle Saturday as General Banker, a son of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds stallion Central Banker, took the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way for eligible state-sired juveniles sprinting seven furlongs at Aqueduct.

Cloud Nine Stable’s Betsy Blue needed just one week’s rest to score the second stakes victory of her career in Saturday’s $120,000 Garland of Roses, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares at Aqueduct Racetrack.

New York rider Dylan Davis guided Miss Dracarys to her first career stakes win at Aqueduct to earn Jockey of the Week honors for Nov. 14 through Nov. 20.

Saturday’s loaded 10-race program will be bolstered by a Pick 6 carryover of $50,012 after the multi-race wager went unsolved on Friday’s nine-race card.

Trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci earned the first graded stakes victory of his career when Evvie Jets rolled to a 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Noble Damsel (G3), a one-mile inner turf test for fillies and mares at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.

The 4-year-old Twirling Candy bay nearly gave trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci his first graded win in his first attempt with a pacesetting neck loss here to Love And Thunder last out on September 24 in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Athenia.

Sunday’s card at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet will be bolstered by a Pick 6 carryover of $85,635 after the multi-race wager went unsolved on Saturday’s 11-race program.

Friday’s Pick 6 will kick off in Race 4 [2:12 p.m. Eastern]. First post for the nine-race card is 12:35 p.m.

Two-time graded stakes winner Wit drew away from five rivals to post a 2 3/4-length score Sunday in the $135,000 Better Talk Now, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomores that have never won a stakes other than state-bred at a mile or over.