BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, December 5,
2015—Odds-on favorite The Real One (Pat Lachance, $3.70) did it handily
Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $32,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Assigned post position No. 4, The Real One
sat chilly as Texican N (Eric Carlson) took the early initiative. He worked
around Cyclone Kiwi N (Jason Bartlett), then was able to get away some soft (:27.2,
:57.1) subsections.
However, something was amiss with the
leader down the backside and his closest pursuer knew it. Cyclone Kiwi N edged
from the pocket right as Texican N jumped it off. However, once Cyclone Kiwi N
made the lead, he was swooped by The Real One.
That one made a big bid from fifth, taking
over and opening up in and out of the 1:25.1 three-quarters. The Real One
opened to 3¼ lengths entering the lane, then rolled. The final margin was an
all-by-his-lonesome 4¾ lengths in 1:52.3. Fameous Western (Matt Kakaley) was a
three-hole second, with Lucan Hanover (Brian Sears), Cyclone Kiwi N and Bigtown
Hero (Dan Dube) settling for the remainder.
For The Real
One, a 5-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by his driver for owner Helene
Filion, it was his eighth win in 31 seasonal tries (same resume as last season,
but earning twice as much). The exacta paid $33, the triple paid $272 and the
superfecta paid $1,258.
Note that
since no one took down Saturday night’s Pick 5, Monday gimmick begins with a
carryover of $4,003.34
and a $10,000 guaranteed pool (50-cent base wager, races 7 through 11, program
pages available at www.yonkersraceway.com).
