YONKERS, NY, Friday, October 26, 2012--Yonkers Raceway's Friday night pair of
$44,000 co-featured Open Handicaps--for distaff pacers and everyone-welcome
trotters--were won by odds-on choice Royal Cee Cee N (George Brennan, $3) and
Tober (Jason Bartlett, $8.30).
It was Royal Cee Cee N making quick work of her outside starting venue.
Hurdling over her six inside rivals (one defection), she easily found her way around
P Note Blue Chip (Brian Sears), annexing the lead before a :27.2 opening
quarter-mile. After a :56.1 intermission, Breakheart Pass (Bartlett), who had
tucked into a five-hole, tried it first-up.
However, it was Royal Cee Cee N on display in and out of the 1:24.3
three-quarters, taking a length-and-a-half lead into the lane. She then held a
valiant Breakheart Pass at bay, winning by that same margin in 1:52.1. Best
Boss (Pat Lachance), P Note Blue Chip and Naughtytiltheend (Brent Holland)
completed the cashers.
For Royal Cee Cee N, a 6-year-old Down Under daughter of Christian Cullen owned
and trained by Mark Harder, it was her eighth win (3-for-4 since hitting town) in
24 seasonal starts (all-continent earnings now over $600,000). The exacta paid
$27.80, with the triple returning $100.50.
The week's marquee saw Tober, in play from post position No. 6, take over from
Take My Picture (Mark MacDonald), then hit early intervals of :28.3 and :58.2.
Backstreet Hanover (Holland), the 17-10 favorite, moved from fifth going toward
the 1:27.3 three-quarters, though Tober was more than comfortable.
He had three lengths leaving the final turn before winning by 3¼ lengths in
1:56.
Big Sky Storm (Jordan Stratton) rallied into third, with Take My Picture and
Bank President (Dan Dube) grabbing the remainder.
For third-choice Tober, a 4-year-old statebred Credit Winner gelding trained by
Ed Hart for co-owners Joseph Betro and (co-breeder) Kristie Leigh Farm it was
his sixth win in 24 '12 tries. The exacta paid $17.40, the triple returned
$178.50 and the superfecta paid $453.50.
The
Raceway continues its normal five-night-per-week live schedule, with first post
every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening
simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting
available around the NYRA schedule.
