For Opinion, click here for View from the Racetrack Grandstand

Monday, November 23, 2015

DOT DOT DOT DASH WINS SUNDAY 50G OPEN HANDICAP TROT

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

YONKERS, NY, Sunday, November 22, 2015—Lone lass Dot Dot Dot Dash (Matt Kakaley, $24.20) engineered the upset Sunday afternoon, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Open Handicap Trot.

Assigned post position No,. 6 in the mile-and-a-quarter medley, Dot Dot Dot Dash lagged last in the early going as lone 3-year-old French Laundry (Dan Dube) two-moved to the lead (:29.2, :59.2). Red Hot Herbie (Brian Sears) was patrolling the pocket when 3-2 choice Luminosity (George Brennan) moved…in a hurry.

Luminosity engaged French Laundry in and out of both a 1:29.2 three-quarters and 1:57.1 mile post (:27.4 fourth quarter) Meanwhile, Dot Dot Dot Dash had loosely tracked move of the favorite before ducking in a three-hole for a breather.  

It was Luminosity owning a short lead in and out of the final turn, but pre-Thanksgiving company was coming. A refreshed Dot Dot Dot Dash left the cones, angled widest and went by. He defeated a ground-saving Sumatra (Jordan Stratton) by a length-and-a-half in 2:27.1.

Red Hot Herbie, Luminosity and There’sademoninme (Andy Miller) completed the cashers.   

For fifth choice Dot Dot Dot Dash, a 5-year-old daughter of Classic Photo owned by William Vandervort Jr. and trained by Shae Vandervort, it was her seventh win in 23 seasonal tries. The exacta paid $142, with the triple returning $1,673.

Note that since no one took down the Sunday Pick 5, Monday’s gimmick, which already has a $10,000 guaranteed pool, begins with a carryover of $2,649.08 (50-cent base wager, races 7 through 11, program pages at www.yonkersraceway.com).

Also, Sunday props to driver Mark MacDonald, who won four races during the dozen-race card.