BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS,
NY, Friday, October 11, 2013--Yonkers Raceway's Friday night $37,000
co-featured Open Handicaps--Pace for the ladies and a Trot for all up to the
challenge--were won by a pair of "to-the-houses" in Let's Go Higher
(Jason Bartlett, $6.90) and DW's NY Yank (George Brennan, $4.20).
Let's Go Higher, leaving from post position No. 7 (in one notch after an inside
defection), had things all her own way. Working around 19-10 favorite Rock N
Load (Dan Dube), she controlled the crowd through comfy early intervals
of :27.1 and :57.1.
Lightning Paige (Jordan Stratton) tried it first-up from fifth, moderately
pressing the issue toward a 1:25.3 three-quarters. Let's Go Higher owned a
length-and-a-quarter lead into the lane, then held sway by a diminishing neck
in 1:53.3. Second went to Rock N Load, with Lightning Paige, Sir Jillian Z Tam
(Pat Lachance) and Ginger and Fred (Brennan) settling for the small change.
For
second choice Let's Go Higher, a 5-year-old daughter of Cole Muffler owned by
Jesse De Long and trained by Heidi Rohr, it was her 11th win in 31 seasonal
starts (fourth in a row at three different venues). The exacta paid
$21.80, with the triple returning $92.
The featured trot had DW's NY Yank, who jumped it off a week ago
as the favorite, regain the faith of the populace. From his ordered eight-hole
as the 11-10 choice, he whipped around the site in :27.1, :56.4, 1:25.3,
1:54.2...a new track record for 4-year-old geldings.
Second went to last week's upsetter, a loose-pocket Brando's Muscle Man (Eric
Goodell), with Zooming (Bartlett), Bound for Fame (Stratton) and Lorenzo Dream
(Brent Holland) rounding out the payees.
For
"DW," a Dilbert Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer
Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Howard Taylor, he's now 12-for-21 this season.
The exacta (two wagering favorites) paid $10.80, the triple returned $117 and
the superfecta paid $265.50.
A special Friday night salute to occasional (and insightful, as opposed to
occasionally insightful) Saturday night co-host Gary Machiz, whose Where to
Hanover (Mark MacDonald, $7.30) wired the $22,000, sixth-race trot in 1:57.1.
The 4-year-old Donato Hanover gelding, trained by Joe King, is now 8-for-19
this season ($98,260). Machiz was joined by his wife, Stacy, in the winner's
circle.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues, 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.
