BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Sunday, January 21,
2018—Favored Melady’s Monet (Jason Bartlett, $4.60) was just barely good enough
Sunday morning (Jan. 21th), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Open
Handicap Trot.
The field of seven (down from nine after a
couple of defections) went as the opener and the first of seven ‘French’ trots.
His eight-hole now a six-hole after those
scratches, Melady’s Monet made the first lead, unimpeded by a breaking Tight
Lines (Jeff Gregory). ‘Melady’ found a :29.4 opening quarter-mile before
briefly giving it up to Super Manning (Jordan Stratton),
The fave wanted no
part of the pocket, so he retook prior to the :59.1 half. Cash Me Out
(Eric Goodell) then moved from fifth, just about getting even with Melady’s
Monet by the 1:30.1 three-quarters. Disposing of that rival around the 1:58.4
milepost, Melady’s Monet opened a length-and-three quarters into the lane, and
needed all out it.
A ground-saving Moneycounts De Vie (Matt
Kakaley) found room up the cones, surged, but the 18-1 rank outsider missed a
nose. Melady’s Monet found paydirt in time, getting the mile-and-a-quarter in
2:27.4.
Third went to Rock of Cashel (Brent
Holland), with Dog Gone Lucky (catch-driver Dan Dube) and Cash Me Out settling
for the remainder.
For Melady’s
Monet, a 9-year-old Revenue S gelding owned by Melady Enterprises and trained
by Kevin McDermott, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal starts. The
exacta paid $43.20, with triple returning $229.50.
Sunday’s ‘New
York, New York Double’ offered a winning combination of 5-Control Group
(Aqueduct’s 3rd race) and 3-Royal Bachelor (Yonkers’ 5th race)
paid $11.80 for every correct $1 wager. Total pool was $5,942.
