YONKERS, NY, Friday, May 11, 2012—Farifant (Mark MacDonald, five wins on the
11-race card) parlayed from the pocket Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's
co-featured $36,000 Open Handicap Trot.
Leaving from post position No. 3, Farifant--the tepid 2-1 favorite--was one of
several in play early. He made the lead right before a :27.4 opening
quarter-mile, then released Some Like it Hot (Jim Pantaleano) in the middle of
the second turn.
That one led at the :57.1 intermission as Orange Bigi (Cat Manzi) moved from
the fourth. He offered no bid, while the second-up Pembroke Heat Wave (Eric
Goodell)--getting around the dullard--broke after the 1:26.4 three-quarters.
All the while, Some Like it Hot had a length-and-a-half lead the lane,
but the rival gangs were approaching. Farifant eased out of the pocket, getting
the jump on a closing Celebrity Bluechip (Jason Bartlett). The former whipped
the latter by a neck in 1:56.2, with 81-1 shot H and M's Hit (Jordan Stratton)
never leaving the cones for third.
Perfect Picture (Larry Stalbaum) and Flex the Muscle (Jeff Gregory) grabbing
the remainder as all the payees were separated by just a length-and-a-half at
the wire.
For Farifant, a 10-year-old Italian-bred son of And Arifant trained by Trond
Smedshammer for owner Acl Stuteri Ab, he returned $6.80 for his fourth win in a
dozen seasonal starts. The exacta paid $24.60, with the triple returning $623.
Friday night's co-featured $36,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace was won by
Feeling You (George Brennan) in solid, two-move effort.
Away fourth from post No. 7, she watched as Bet on Luck (Pantaleano) rebuffed a
retake from Queen of Royalty (MacDonald) and threw down fractions of :27, :56.1
and 1:24.1.
Feeling You engaged Bet on Luck down the backside and into the early stretch
before wearing that rival down. despite the tough trip, Feeling You widened to
win by in a 1:52.3, matching a personal season's-best. A closing
Naughtytiltheend (Brent Holland) was second, with Queen of Royalty, Bet on Luck
and Summer Snow (Stratton) earning the minor spoils. Hula's Z Tam (Pat
Lachance), the slightest of 2-1 favorites, never fired and wound up last.
For Feeling You, a 5-year-old Cambest miss co-owned by Gallicchio Racing
Stable, Tyler Buter and Vincent Cannella and trained by Amber Buter, she
returned $6.40 (third choice) for her sixth win (fourth consecutive) in
14 '12 tries. The exacta paid $24.80, the triple returned $255.50 and the
superfecta paid $805.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week (Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday)
live schedule continues. First post for all programs remains at 7:10 PM.
Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available around the NYRA schedule.
