BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, January 16, 2016—Aslan
(Brian Sears, $6.30) was there when it counted Saturday night, winning Yonkers
Raceway’s $32,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Sitting chilly from post position No. 4,
he watched as 3-2 choice Melmerby Beach (Jason Bartlett) moved around
Journeyman (George Brennan) for the lead. Melmerby Beach seemingly had his own
way through intervals of :28.2,
:57.2 and 1:25.2.
Between the
second and third substations, Aslan engaged from fourth. He had some work to do
as “Melmerby” had a length-and-three-quarter lead into the lane. However, Aslan
wasn’t done, fighting the good fight before prevailing by a neck in 1:53.4.
Journeyman,
rank outsider Panic Disorder (Dan Dube) and Hugh Hefner N (Jordan Stratton)
rounded out the payees.
For second
choice Aslan, a now-7-year-old Mach Three gelding owned (as O’Sullivan Racing)
and trained by Tony O’Sullivan, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal
starts. The exacta paid $17, with the triple returning $58.
The Raceway’s
season continues with a “French” Sunday (post time 11:55 AM), Monday (7:10 PM)
and Tuesday (1 PM).
