BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS,
NY, Friday, November 22, 2013--Yonkers Raceway's Friday night $37,000
co-featured Open Handicaps--Pace for the ladies and Trot for any qualified
candidates--were won by a pocketed Rock N Load (Jordan Stratton, $7.10) and
all-age track record-holder Quick Deal (George Brennan, $4.60).
In what turned out to be a two-speed number, eight-hole-ordered Swinging Beauty
(Brennan) made the lead around Rock N Load--from post position No. 5--before a
28-second opening quarter-mile. A pokey :58.3 intermission figured to serve the
8-5 favorite well as Collage (Eric Goodell) tried it first-up from sixth.
It was Swinging Beauty leading at the 1:27.1 three-quarters, with a
length-and-a-half advantage entering the lane. However, despite Swinging
Beauty's cheap fractions, Rock N Load scooted past, ducking inside and winning
by half-length in 1:55.1. Collage held well for third, with Sir Jillian Z Tam
(Pat Lachance) and Dawn's Legacy (Brian Sears) rounding out the payees.
For second 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
eighth win in 38 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $27.80, with the triple
returning
$122.
The week's marquee rot saw Quick Deal--who had previously set and reset the
all-age trot track standard
(1:53.3,
1:53.2), not have to go nearly as fast this night.
Wide and waiting from his assigned eight-ball, the 13-10 choice was out two
turns before taking the baton from Zooming (Jason Bartlett). After early
intervals of :27.2 and :56.2, last week's winner, Brando's Muscle Man
(Goodell), moved from fifth.
Meanwhile, Quick Deal was getting some nighttime daylight in and out of a
1:25.2 three-quarters, taking a 3¼ -length into the lane. The final margin was
2¾ lengths in 1:55...a tick faster than the distaff pacing derby. A
left-and-shuffled Likeabatoutahell (Sears) closed for second, with Melady's
Monet (Dan Dube), Zooming and "Brando" completed the cashers.
For Quick Deal, a 5 year-old Revenue S gelding trained by Ron Burke for
co-owners Our Horse Cents Stable and Rossie Smith, he's now 9-for-21 this
season (fifth consecutive victory). The exacta paid $19.60, the triple returned
$178.50 and the superfecta paid $571.
Friday also saw Trace Tetrick win his first local race, with Fox Valley Barbosa
($18.20) in $8,000, third-race pace (1:55.4).
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 now available daily.
