BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, December 6, 2013--Yonkers Raceway's Friday night $37,000
co-featured Open
Handicaps--Pace
for the ladies and Trot who all who passed initiation--were won by front-end
Let's Go Higher (Jason Bartlett, $6.80) and double-millionaire Wishing Stone
(George Brennan, $3.30).
In play early from assigned post position No. 3, Let's Go Higher--as the tepid
2-1 choice--played leapfrog on the lead with Cocoa Beach (Matt Kakaley). After
a :27.3 opening quarter-mile and :57.3 intermission, Cheyenne Miriam (Mark
MacDonald) moved from third.
However, that bid stalled before a 1:26 three-quarters, as Let's Go Higher
owned a length-and-a-half lead
into
the lane. She held off a second-over Rock N Load (Jordan Stratton) by a
half-length in 1:55.2. Third went to Cocoa Beach, with Sir Jillian Z Tam (Pat
Lachance) and "Miriam" rounding out the payees.
For Let's Go Higher, a 5-year-old daughter of Cole Muffler owned by Jesse
DeLong and trained by Heidi Rohr, it was her 14th win in 37 seasonal starts.
The exacta paid $26.40, with the triple returning $166.50.
The week's marquee trot saw Wishing Stone end his season with a picture. Sent
postward as the 3-5 choice from his ordered eight-hole, he was wide at the
outset before wedging in fifth.
It was Melady's Monet (Dan Dube) leading through sub-sections of :28 and :58.3
with Lorenzo Dream (catch-driver Kakaley) pocketed and Brando’s Muscle Man
(Eric Goodell) trying it first-up. Odds-on Wishing Stone was behind that one at
the 1:27.2 three-quarters.
An inside-the-cones Melady's Monet maintained the lead in and out of the final
turn before Wishing Stone received the memo. He went by, with the margin a
half-length in 1:57.1. Melady's Monet crossed the line second, but was set down
to third for the above transgression.
That moved Lorenzo Dream to second, with Zooming (Bartlett) and Elin (Larry
Stalbaum) completing the cashers.
For Wishing Stone, a 6-year-old son of Conway Hall trained by Ron Burke for
co-owners Cowboyland
Aalborg,
Deo Volente Farms, J & T Silva and T L P Stables, it was his seventh win in
19 '13 tries. The exacta paid $13.80, the triple returned $43.40 and the
superfecta paid $372.50. Next season, Wishing Stone begins a dual role as
racehorse and stallion.
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 now
available daily.
