BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, May 9, 2014—Yonkers
Raceway Free Money Alert…a $10,518.87 double-carryover in the Pick 5 wager
means a $25,000 guaranteed pool for Saturday night (50-cent base wager on races
5 thru 9, so go study).
To more mundane matters, Rank outsider
Virgin Mary (Matt Kakaley) and favored Melady’s Monet (Jason Bartlett) were the
toasts of the town Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $38,000
Open Handicaps.
Virgin Mary, given a perfect second-over
sojourn in the distaff derby, picked off her tow, Monkey on My Wheel (Brian
Sears). The margin was a neck in a moist 1:54.
“Monkey,” ordered behind the eight-ball
after four wins and a second in her last five tries, settled in fourth.
She saw Keystone Wanda (Brent Holland),
Cocoa Beach (Jordan Stratton) and Fast and Feisty (Dan Dube) all leave inside
of her. After early intervals of :27.2 and :57.1, Monkey on My Wheel was out
again, engaging Cocoa Beach in and out of a 1:25.3 three-quarters.
Monkey on My Wheel put the leader her
away soon after, opening to a length-and-a-half in the lane. However, Virgin
Mary—hitching a ride from post position No. 2—did go on by. Fashion Mystery
(Eric Carlson), slight 19-10 choice Krispy Apple (Bartlett) and Fast and Feisty
completed the cashers.
For “Mary,” a 6-year-old Village Jolt
homebred owned by Howard Taylor and trained by Tom Shay, she returned an even
$50 for her third win in 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $298.50, with the
triple returning $2,162.
The week’s marquee trot was a two-speed
number, with 13-10 choice Melady’s Monet—from post No. 4—and Lorenzo Dream
(Sears) lined up. The latter worked around the former (:28.4, :58.2,
1:27.2), with Bonus Trot Series champ Itzaziam (Pat Berry) moving from third.
“Lorenzo,” up by half-length in the out
of the final turn, had the measure of Itzaziam, but not Melady’s Monet. The
latter ducked inside, whipping Lorenzo Dream by a half-length in a
season’s-best 1:56. Itzaziam held well for third despite the big class hike,
with Fortunista (Carlson) and Ray Hall (Brent Holland) settling for the
remainder.
For “Melady,” a 5-year-old Revenue S
gelding owned by Melady Enterprises and trained by Taylor Gower, he returned
$4.70 for his third win in 13 ’14 tries. The exacta (two wagering
favorites) paid $13.80, the triple returned $59.50 and the superfecta paid
$224.50
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 daily.
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