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Sunday, July 5, 2015

TEXICAN N, MELADY’S MONET WIN SATURDAY 42G CO-FEATURES

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

YONKERS, NY, Saturday, July 4, 2015—Texican N (Eric Carlson $19.20) and Melady’s Monet (Jason Bartlett, $3.20) each went from pocket to paydirt Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s holiday $42,000 co-featured Open Handicaps.

Texican N, from post position No. 3 in the weekly featured pace, found himself sequestered in the two-hole behind Rock on Moe (Jordan Stratton). That one led through intervals of :27.1, 57.1 and 1:25.1, with P H Supercam (Bartlett) making a second move.

It was “Moe” taking a short lead into the lane, with he and P  H Supercam slugging it out. That left Texican N waiting his turn, and he dove inside to win a three-way scrum. The margin, over win-the-battle-lose-the-war P H Supercam, was a head in a season’s-best 1:52.4, with Rock on Moe third, beaten a half-length.

The small change went to McErlean (Tyler Buter) The Real One (Pat Lachance).     

            For fifth choice Texican N, a 6-year-old Down Under Bettor’s Delight gelding owned by Harry von Knoblauch and trained by Peter Tritton, it was his third win in 18 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $104, with the triple returning $409.50.

            As for odds-on “Melady,” he just shows up here for holidays. Last seen in Westchester Halloween Night, he was a solid winner here in the week’s marquee trot. Leaving from post No. 6 (in one notch after an inside scratch), the 3-5 choice made the lead before yielding to Luminosity (George Brennan).

            Subsections of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:26 (weak, first-over company in the form of Tweet Me [Tyler Buter]) gave Luminosity a length lead in and out of the final turn. However, he couldn’t stave off a pylon-diving Melady’s Money, who edged away by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:55. Take My Picture (Mark MacDonald), E R Ellie (Stratton) and Lorenzo Dream (Carlson) settled for the remainder.  

For Melady’s Monet, a 6-year-old Revenue S gelding owned by Melady Enterprises and trained by Kevin McDermott, it was his seventh win in 15 ’15 tries. The exacta (two wagering choices paid $7.10, the triple returned $32.40 and the superfecta paid $174.

            Note that since no one took down Saturday’s Pick 5, Monday night’s gimmick—already with a $10,000 guaranteed pool—begins with a carryover of $2,881.61 (50-cent base wager, races 7 through 11).

            The Raceway’s live season continues Monday night (7:10 PM),  Tuesday matinee (1 PM), then Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 PM). Evening simulcasting accompanies all night programs, with afternoon simulcasting available daily.