BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, August 8,
2014—Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $44,000 co-featured Open Handicaps—for
distaff pacers and all certifiably-credentialed trotters--were won by wagering
choices Monkey on My Wheel (Brian Sears, $4.90) and Somebody As (Dan Dube,
$6.60).
Monkey on My Wheel left for a seat from
post position No. 6. She saw Summertime Lea (George Brennan) take over from My
Ideal Hanover (Larry Stalbaum) before a :27.2 opening quarter-mile. However, a
protracted move to the front by Monkey on My Wheel gave her the lead before a
:56.1 intermission.
From there, some first-up pressure by
Fashion Mystery (Eric Carlson) through a :27.3 third quarter (1:23.4) might
have softened Monkey on My Wheel a bit. She owned a length-and-a-half lead into
the lane, but was getting leg-weary late.
However, the class of the lass showed
up, and “Monkey” held sway by a half-length in 1:52.1. Summertime Lea held
second, with Virgin Mary (Eric Goodell) closing from seventh to grab third.
Rockaround Sue (Jason Bartlett) and Robin Cruiser (Jordan Stratton) came away
with the minor moolah (first five finishers separated by three-quarters of a
length).
For Monkey on My Wheel, 6-year-old
homebred millionaress daughter of Mach Three owned by Mac Nichol and trained by
Casie Coleman, it was her ninth win (30th lifetime) in 21 seasonal
starts. The exacta (two wagering favorites) paid $11.60, with the triple
returning $145.50.
The week’s
marquee trot saw invading Somebody As—from post No. 2—sit pocketed to inside
assignee Son of Nordic (Goodell). That one led to the lane off intervals of
:27.4, :57 and 1:25.2, dismissing the weak advances from Neighsay Hanover
(Stratton). “Nordic” had a length-and-a-half in and out of the final turn, but
company was coming.
Somebody As snuck inside, getting to the
wire a half-length ahead of a third-up Bound for Fame (Brent Holland) in 1:55.
Lorenzo Dream (Sears) rallied for third, with Tober (Bartlett) and
Hoorayforvacation (Carlson) settling for the remainder.
For Somebody As, a 5-year-old
Striking Sahbra gelding trained by Annette Lorentzon for co-owners Acl Stuteri
Ab and Kjell Johansson, he’s now 3-for-12 this season. The exacta paid
$35.60, the triple returned $368.50 and the superfecta paid $1,796.
As for Friday’s Pick 5, $28,934.05 was
wagered into a double carryover of $11,305.67, with the resulting combination
of 5-6-1-2-4 paying $2,086.25 for every winning
half-dollar.
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.
