BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, May 14, 2016—Mark
MacDonald was the star of the show Saturday night, sweeping both of Yonkers
Raceway’s $40,000 co-featured Open Handicaps with favored Great Vintage (Pace,
$5.30) and Obrigado (Trot, $8.20).
Great Vintage, assigned post position No.
2, two-moved around Texican N (Jordan Stratton), then set sail on his appointed
rounds (:27.4, 56.3, 1:24.2,
season-matching 1:52).
The people’s
choice eventually disposed of a first-up Bettor Rock On N (Dan Dube), then took
a three-quarter length lead into the lane. He fended off an inside bid of
Texican N by half-length in 1:52. Artistic Major (Brent Holland) rallied very
well for third, with Ideal Cowboy (Jason Bartlett) and Atta Boy Dan (George
Brennan) settling for the remainder.
For Great
Vintage, an 8-year-old son of American Ideal trained by Jimmy Takter for
co-owners his wife, Christina, John Fielding, Goran Anderberg and Goran Falk,
it was his third win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $28.80, with the
triple returning $220.50.
As for
Obrigado, he did his damage—from assigned post No. 5—from first-up. Away six,
he saw Luminosity (Brennan) lead through intervals of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.1.
It was Luminosity holding a short lead into the lane, but Obrigado was
relentless.
He keep at
it, whipping Luminosity by a length in 1:54.2. Homicide Hunter (Stratton) was
third, with tepid 5-2 choice Major Athens (Brian Sears) and Allerage Star (Pat
Lachance) earning the minor moolah.
For second
choice Obrigado, an 6-year-old Boy Band gelding co-owned by (trainer) Paul
Kelley, Linwood Higgins, SRF Stable and Stable 45, it was his first win in a
pair of ’16 tries. The exacta paid $33.60, the triple returned $179 and
superfecta paid $579.
Saturday’s
$30,000 Preferred Handicap Pace was won by Machtu N (Steve Smith, $7.70) in a
night’s-best 1:50.4 for a first North American victory.
