BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, October 25, 2013--Yonkers Raceway's Friday night $37,000
co-featured Open Handicaps--Pace for the ladies and a Trot for all with proper
credentials--were won by a wiring Rock N Load (Dan Dube, $10) and newly-minted
millionaire Likeabatoutahell (George Brennan, $13.40).
Rock N Load, involved at the start from post position No. 3, made the lead
around Classy Lane Rose (Jason Bartlett) after a :26.3 opening quarter-mile.
Dawn's Legacy (Jordan Stratton) was third, with 11-10 choice, last week's
winner Rock N Soul (Brennan), away fourth.
That one, caught wide early, was on the move again at the :56.1 intermission,
while Royal Cee Cee N (Brian Sears) was second-over. Rock N Load was
maintaining her lead in and out of a 1:24.4 three-quarters, up a length tuning
for home.
Royal Cee Cee N launched her wide bid, buy could not reached, missing by a
half-length in 1:53.4. Third went to Classy Lane Rose, with Dawn's Legacy and
Campanile rounding out the payees. Rock N Soul tired to last among the octet.
For third choice Rock N Load, a
5-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover trained by Danny Gill for co-owners
Edward Hall and James Hall Jr., it was her seventh win in 34 seasonal starts.
The exacta paid $64.50, with the triple returning $440.50.
The weekly trotting feature saw "Likeabat"--doing his bidding from
post No. 6--worked out a second-over trip. He watched early as a
threesome--Somebody AS (Mark MacDonald), 3-2 favorite Zooming (Bartlett) and
Brando's Muscle Man (Eric Goodell)--had designs on leaving.
Soon after a double-parked "Brando" made the lead (:27.2 quarter),
Somebody AS broke. That one caught back to race first-over, with
Likeabatoutahell slipping out from sixth.
It was Brando's Muscle Man finding a 57-second half and 1:26.1
three-quarters, but he was about done in and out of the final turn.
Likeabatoutahell was widest and fastest in 1:56.
Melady's Monet (Stratton) was a cone-skimming second--beaten a length-and-quarter--with
Zooming, Watkins (Sears) and a recovering Somebody AS settling for the
remainder. “Brando” tired to eight and last.
For fourth choice Likeabatoutahell, a 10-year-old S J's Caviar gelding trained
by Trond Smedshammer for owner-breeder Michael Andrew, he's now 6-for-29 this
season (40-for-165 lifetime with earnings of $1,005,393) The exacta paid
$123, the triple returned $363 and the superfecta paid $2,183.50.
Saturday features eliminations for both the Messenger Stakes and Lady Maud,
premier events for 3-year-old pacers. The former, final jewel of the Pacing
Triple Crown, has a pair of five-horse, $40,000 elims. The latter offers a pair
of seven-horse, $20,000 elims. Finals, worth $450,000 (Messenger) and $176,684
(Maud), are both scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2.
Also note that since no one took down Friday night’s Pick 5, Saturday’s
rendition (50-cent base wager, races 5 through 9) offers a $10,000 guaranteed
pool.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, 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.
