BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, July 7, 2018—Evenin’ of Pleasure (Joe Bongiorno, $7.80) and lass
Weslynn Dancer (Jason Bartlett, $18.60) were the big cheese and big
cheese-ette, respectively, Saturday night (July 7th), winning
Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $44,000 Open Handicaps.
Evenin’ of
Pleasure did it the hard way in the week’s marquee pace, as in two moves and
first-up. Starting outside his seven foes, he did a rather fortuitous four-hole
in front of Capozzo (Mark MacDonald). All the while, 13-10 choice Pacing Major
N (catch-driver Greg Merton) made a pokey (:27.3, :57.3) lead, pocketing Caviart Luca (George Brennan).
Evenin’ of Pleasure began his assault in earnest in and out
of a 1:25 three-quarters, with Pacing Major N maintaining a scant lead off the
final turn.
He was about to overhauled, however, as Evenin’ of Pleasure
was relentless. He went by late in the lane, the final margin a length in
1:52.2. Caviart Luca snuck up inside for second, with Pacing Major N easily holding
third. Capozzo and Mach Time N (Brian Sears) rounded out the payees.
For second choice Evenin’ of Pleasure, an
8-year-old son of Dragon Again owned by Gestion J Y Blais and trained by
Jennifer Bongiorno, it was his fifth win in a dozen seasonal starts. The exacta
paid $29.40, the triple returned $89 and the superfecta paid $386.50.
The weekly adult-table trot had Weslynn
Dancer prevail as one of the three lasses in the race.
Away third from assigned post position No.
3, she saw another ma’am, 5-2 fave NF Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr.), lay down
the law (:27.4, :57.4; 1:25.4).
Weslynn Dancer went after the leader down the backside the second time as the
people’s preference had her lead diminish early in the final turn.
Weslynn
Dancer continued her advance, eventually wearing down NF Happenstance and
edging away by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.4. NF Happenstance saved
second, with Such an Angel (Sears), Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Dube) and DWs NY
Yank (Brennan) settling for the minors.
For fifth choice Weslynn Dancer, a
4-year-old daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe co-owned by Barbara & James
Boese and trained by Richard Banca, she’s won half of her 10 ’18 tries. The
exacta paid $77.50, the triple returned $516 and the superfecta paid $2,904.
