BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Friday, February 14, 2020—I’mprincessgemma A (Joe Bongiorno, $6.20) was both
widest and fastest Friday night (Feb. 14th), winning Yonkers
Raceway’s $40,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Sandy Win (Eric
Goodell) fronted the fray, doing so through early intervals of :27.1 and :56.3.
Robyn Camden (Jim Marohn Jr.), who had left into a three-hole as the 19-10
favorite, made a second move to go after the leader. Western New York standout
HP Sissy (Dan Dube) tried to match strides with ‘Robyn,” but gapped.
It was Sandy Win
maintaining her advantage in and out of a 1:25 three-quarters, Meanwhile,
I’mprincessgemma A, away last from outside her five (after a scratch) rivals,
was saving ground by the pylons and slipping out down the backside right behind
Betterb Chevron N (Jordan Stratton).
Shady Win owned a
length lead off the final turn, but was about to get swallowed up. ‘Gemma,’
fifth entering the lane, launched past everyone. She widened to win by 2¾
lengths in 1:53.4. Shady Win did hold off the rest to and save second, with
Robyn Camden and Betterb Chevron N inseparable for third.
Wishy Washy Girl
(Brent Holland) picked off the final pay envelope, while ‘Sissy’ backpedaled to
last among the half-dozen in a rare poor effort.
For
season-debuting third choice I’mprincessgemma A, a 6-year-old Down Under
daughter of Village Jolt co-owned by her chauffeur, trainer Jennifer Bongiorno,
Steve Manzi and Wish Me Luck Stables, she entered off an eight-win, $100,000
season in 2019. The exacta paid $19.80, the triples returned $34.20 (Betterb
Chevron N third) and $23.40 (Robyn Camden third) and the superfectas paid $60
(Betterb Chevron N third) and $49.60 (Robyn Camden third).
