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Saturday, June 21, 2014

AMIGO RANGER WINS FRIDAY NIGHT 44G OPEN HANDICAP TROT

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Friday, June 20, 2014—Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by a resurgent dozen-to-one Amigo Ranger (Dan Dube, $26.20).  

            Away in good order from post position No. 3, Amigo Ranger settled third as pole-sitting Rossini (Jordan Stratton) was all set to pass the torch to Daylon Magician (Eric Goodell) when that one jumped it off. That misdeed left Amigo Ranger in the pocket.

After a :28.1 opening quarter-mile and before a :57.4 intermission, Daylon Magician broke again. Meanwhile, Coraggioso (Brian Sears)—the 7-10 choice from his ordered eight-hole—had found a seat fourth.

Coraggioso engaged the leader in and out of a 1:26.1 three-quarters, even taking a rest stop when Amigo Ranger lost ground in the two-hole. Rossini owned a length-and-a-half lead into the lane, but Coraggioso collared him…only to get snapped himself.

A suddenly-refreshed Amigo Ranger ducked in and whipped the people’s preference by a half-length in 1:55.1…matching a season’s-best. Zooming (Eric Carlson), Rossini and Tober (Jason Bartlett) came away with the remainder.  

For fourth choice Amigo Ranger, a 5-year-old son of Amigo Hall co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard, Racing Team of America and Kapildeo Singh, it was his fifth win (third consecutive) in 18 seasonal starts.  The exacta paid $74.50, with the triple returning $939.

            The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule is back in business, 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.