BY FRANK
DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Friday, June 20,
2014—Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by a
resurgent dozen-to-one Amigo Ranger (Dan Dube, $26.20).
Away in good order from post position No. 3, Amigo Ranger settled third as pole-sitting
Rossini (Jordan Stratton) was all set to pass the torch to Daylon Magician
(Eric Goodell) when that one jumped it off. That misdeed left Amigo Ranger in
the pocket.
After a :28.1 opening quarter-mile and
before a :57.4 intermission, Daylon Magician broke again. Meanwhile, Coraggioso
(Brian Sears)—the 7-10 choice from his ordered eight-hole—had found a seat
fourth.
Coraggioso engaged the leader in and out
of a 1:26.1 three-quarters, even taking a rest stop when Amigo Ranger lost
ground in the two-hole. Rossini owned a length-and-a-half lead into the lane,
but Coraggioso collared him…only to get snapped himself.
A suddenly-refreshed Amigo Ranger ducked
in and whipped the people’s preference by a half-length in 1:55.1…matching a
season’s-best. Zooming (Eric Carlson), Rossini and Tober (Jason Bartlett) came
away with the remainder.
For fourth choice Amigo Ranger, a
5-year-old son of Amigo Hall co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene
Allard, Racing Team of America and Kapildeo Singh, it was his fifth win (third
consecutive) in 18 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $74.50, with the
triple returning $939.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule is back in business, 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.
