YONKERS,
NY, Friday, November 23, 2012--Yonkers Raceway's pair of Friday night, $35,000
co-featured Open Handicaps--for distaff pacers and trotters of all ranks and
files--were won by a down-the-road Keeper's Destiny (George Brennan, $6.10) and
a pocket-sitting Looking Hanover (Brian Sears, $4).
In play from what became penultimate post position No. 6 (the results of an
eight-hole defection), Keeper's Destiny made the lead around Quicksilvercandy A
(Larry Stalbaum) before a :27.1 opening quarter-mile.
From there, a :56.4 intermission before even-money favorite Krispy Apple
(Sears)--who had wedged into an early five-hole--was out and moving. She turned
up the volume in and out of a 1:25 three-quarters, but Krispy Apple was not in
a giving mood.
She rebuffed the people's choice from that point, winning a match race through
the lane by a neck in 1:53.2. Third went to a closing Don't Blame Her (Joe
Bongiorno), with Quicksilvercandy A and Argument Hanover (Jason Bartlett)
picking at the post-holiday leftovers.
For second choice Keeper's Destiny, a 6-year-old daughter of Intrepid Seelster
owned by Merlin Howse and trained by Casie Coleman (also the co-breeders), it
was her eighth win in 27 seasonal starts (career cash now over $513,000. The
exacta paid $14, with the triple returning $38.
The week's featured trot saw Aisling (Brennan) two-move to the lead and throw
down seemingly-comfy intervals of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:26.3. Looking Hanover was
perched in the two-hole from post No. 5, while Mystical Starlight tried it
first-up from sixth.
Entering the lane, Aisling had a length-and-a-half lead, but could not close
the sale. Looking Hanover ducked in and prevailed, winning by a half-length in
1:56.
It was heater for second between a tiring Aisling and a cone-skimming, 32-1
rank outsider Rookie Mistake (Cat Manzi), with Mystical Starlight and Celebrity
Bluechip (Bartlett) grabbing the remainder.
For favored Looking Hanover, a 7-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding trained by
Edwin Gannon Jr. for co-owners Dawn Marie Gannon and Yannick Gingras, it was
his third win in 21 '12 starts. The exactas paid $29 (Rookie Mistake second)
and $8.40 (Aisling second), the triples returned $117.50 ("Rookie' second,
Aisling third) and $76.50 (Aisling second, "Rookie" third) and the
superfectas paid $638 and $348 (again, with Rookie Mistake second and Aisling
third).
The Raceway continues its normal five-night-per-week live schedule, with first
post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening
simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available around the NYRA schedule.
