BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, May 2, 2014—Lone
lass Backstreet Hanover (Tyler Buter) eased from the pocket Friday night,
winning Yonkers Raceway’s $38,000 Open Handicap Trot.
The field was reduced to seven before
the start when Tall Cotton came up ill, then effectively reduced by another
when last week’s winner, Super Manning (Matt Kakaley) jumped early as the
slight second choice.
That left Lorenzo Dream (Brian Sears) to
cut out his own mile to the early tune of :28 and :58. Backstreet Hanover,
leaving from post position No. 4 as the tepid 19-10 favorite, was content to
pursue from the two-hole.
With just mile pressure from longshot
Fortunista (Eric Carlson), “Lorenzo” found a 1:27.2 three-quarters. He owned a
length-and-a-half into the lane, but could not stave off “Backstreet” on his
back.
The ma’am went by, with the final margin
three-quarters of a length in 1:55.3. Fort Valley As (Dan Dube),
Blacktuxwhitesocks (Jordan Stratton) and Fortunista rounded out the payees.
For Backstreet Hanover, a 6-year-old
daughter of Andover Hall owned by David Hamm and trained by Allan
Johnson, she returned $5.90 ( choice) for her fourth win in a dozen seasonal
starts. The exacta paid $29.40, the triple returned $190.50 and the superfecta
paid $761.
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 daily (note Saturday’s Derby Day program from Churchill Downs begins at
10:30 AM, with Yonkers’ windows opening a half-hour prior).
