BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, May 23, 2014—Yonker
Raceway’s pair of Friday night $38,000 Open Handicaps—for distaff pacers and
either-gender trotters--were won by Little Santamonica (Jason Bartlett) and
Coraggioso (Brian Sears).
“Santamonica,” the upstate scourge
making her first local try since late March, floated out from post position No.
6 (in one notch after an inside defection) before taking back. She saw the two
(7-5) wagering choices in favored Summertime Lea (George Brennan) and
Shelliscape (Brian Sears) in play early with intervals of :27 and :55.3.
Virgin Mary (Matt Kakaley) moved from
fifth, with Little Santamonica on that one’s tail. However, it remainder
Shelliscape’s race in and out of the 1:24.3 three-quarters, taking a length
lead in and out of the final turn. Summertime Lea dove inside, but she wasn’t
the problem. It was Little Santamonica tipping wide and going by, whipping a
game Virgin Nary by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.2.
Shelliscape faded to third, with
Summertime Lea and Keystone Wanda (Brent Holland) rounded out the payees.
For Little
Santamonica, a 5-year-old daughter of Little Steven owned by Kelly Dawn Hope
and trained by Jordan Hope, she returned $21.20 (fourth choice) for her eighth
win (fifth consecutive) in 14 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $139.50,
with the triple returning $685.
The week’s marquee trot saw even-money
favorite Coraggioso wide early from behind the eight-ball, but wrapped up late.
He worked around Tober (Bartlett), then threw down the gauntlet to the tune of
:28.1, :57.1, 1:26.2 and 1:55.
The final margin was a drifting three-quarters of a length, but the final result was never up for debate. Tober chased and held second, with Awesome Valley (Brennan), Swishnflick (Larry Stalbaum) and Harbor Point (Eric Carlson) coming away with the remainder.
For Coraggioso, a 5-year-old
homebred/statebred son of Conway Hall co-owned by Tom Durkin & Joe Spadaro,
and trained by Julie Miller, he returned $4 for his fifth win in 13 ’14 tries
(up and over $600,000 in career earnings). The exacta paid $16.60, the
triple returned $86 and the superfecta paid $291.
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 that Saturday’s card features eliminations for both the
Art Rooney Pace (3-year-colts/geldings) and its companion event, the Lismore
(3-year-old fillies).
