BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, May 30,
2014—Yonkers Raceway’s pair of Friday night $38,000 Open Handicaps—for distaff
pacers and any trotter with the street cred--were won by a pair of wagering
favorites in millionairess Monkey on My Wheel (Brian Sears) and
2012 Yonkers Trot champ Archangel (George Brennan).
Ordered outside her seven rivals, Monkey
on My Wheel—as the just-above-even-money favorite—settled in third as 32-1 rank
outsider Fast and Feisty (Brent Holland) and Classy Lane Rose (Eric Goodell)
played leapfrog on the lead.
After a :27.4 opening quarter-mile and
:57.1 intermission, Monkey on My Wheel was back on the case. She took out after
Classy Lane Rose in out of a 1:25 three-quarters, tackling that one through the
final turn. Monkey on My Wheel finally gained the upper hoof, then held off a
passing lane Fast and Feisty by a scant nose in 1:53.4.
Hula’s Z Tam (Pat Lachance) was third,
with Fashion Mystery (Eric Carlson) and Classy Lane Rose settling for the small
change.
For
“Monkey,” a 6-year-old homebred daughter of Mach Three owned by Mac Nichol and
trained by Casie Coleman, she returned $4.10 for her fifth win in 13 seasonal
starts. The exacta paid $64.50, with the triple returning
$281.50.
The week’s marquee trot was strictly a
two-speed number as 11-10 choice favorite Archangel—starting from post position
No. 5—work around Tober (Holland). The mare Frau Blucher (Sears) settled third
in her local debut. Early intervals of :27.1 and :56 left several gaps among
the rest of the gang.
Archangel held sway through a 1:24.3
three-quarters, taking a couple of lengths into the lane. He held Tober at bay,
winning by a length in 1:54.3…matching the fastest local trot mile of the
season.
Lorenzo Dream (Dan Dube) rallied well to
grab third—beaten 5¼ lengths--with Awesome Valley (Carlson) and Frau Blucher
rounding out the payees.
For Archangel, a 5-year-old
(unraced last season) statebred son of Credit Winner co-owned by Clare Semer
and Legendary Standard Farm and trained by Ron Burke, he returned $4.30 for his
first win in four ’14 tries. The exacta (two wagering favorites) paid
$11.60, the triple returned $133.50 and the superfecta paid $460.50.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule--along with evening
simulcasting--goes on hiatus after Saturday’s card, which includes the $300,000
final of the Art Rooney Pace (3-eyar-old colts/geldings) and $124,744 Lismore
Pace (3-year-old fillies). Afternoon simulcasting remains available daily. Live
racing/evening simulcasting returns Friday, June 13th.
