Delightful Diva (Dave Miller), cutting her travel distance in a way that would make Santa proud, skimmed the cones in the Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Leaving from post position No. 3, "Diva" was minding her business along the inside as first 4-5 fave Breakheart Pass (Yannick Gingras), then Symphony in Motion (Jeff Gregory), led the way. After early intervals of :26.4 and :55.4, Summer Snow (Jordan Stratton) tried it first-up, with Crown Lady (Eric Goodell) behind that one.
However, Symphony in Motion maintained the lead in and out of the 1:24.3 three-quarters, owning a length-and-a-quarter lead into the lane.
The gang started to converge passing the 1:54.2 mile marker, with a deep-in-passing-lane Delightful Diva getting the jump on both a from-last Pancleefandarpels (Jim Pantaleano) and a bursting-through Celtic Danser (Brandon Simpson).
Delightful Diva whipped "Pancleef" by a length-and-a-quarter, getting the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 2:02. Celtic Danser was third, while Symphony in Motion and Breakheart Pass tired to the minor awards.
For Delightful Diva, a 6-year-old daughter of Bettor's Delight trained by Nick Surick for KDM Stables, she returned $14 (third choice) for her 10th win in 35 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $124, with the triple returning $857.
Friday night's co-featured Open Trot saw people's preference Fool's Revenue (Pantaleano) hold up his end of the bargain.
The field was effectively reduced to five by a trio of early breakers in Keenan (Gregory), Baby Boy Grin (Larry Stalbaum) and Fountainbleau Volo (Jeff Dauplaise).
Twin B Caviar (Dan Dube) took over from Defend the Rock (Miller) around early fractions of :28 and :57. Fool's Revenue, leaving from post No. 3, moved from fourth to challenge before the 1:26.2 three-quarters. It was Twin B Caviar on a tenuous lead turning for home, but she was in much trouble.
Fool's Revenue made the lead before the 1:56 mile, the finished off the added distance in 2:03.3. Son of Nordic (Goodell) tracked the winner but couldn't get him, beaten a length, with Twin B Caviar, Defend the Rock and Sun of a Victory (Stratton) grabbing some last-minute holiday cash
For Fool's Revenue, a 5-year-old Revenue S gelding trained by Brett Bittle for co-owners Robert (also a co-breeder), Douglas and James Allen, he returned $4.30 for his sixth win in 22 '11 tries. The exacta paid $30.20, the triple returned $117 and the superfecta paid $519.
Yonkers' 2012 live season begins Friday night, Jan. 13. First post for all racing programs remains at 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule (note the Aqueduct Christmas break runs through Dec. 27.)
