BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday,
January 26, 2019—Down-the-road numbers Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Dube, $6.10) and
Bettor’s Fire N (Ron Cushing, $4.70) went, um, down the road Saturday night
(Jan. 26th), winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $44,000 Open
Handicaps.
From position No.
4, in the week’s marquee trot, Smalltownthrowdown seated Wings of Royalty
(Jordan Stratton) and 8-5 choice Andy Ray (Jason Bartlett) in behind,
then completed his rounds (:27.4,
:57.4, 1:26.3, 1:55.3). It was the fastest local trot mile of the early
season.
The margin was a
comfy length-and-a-half over Wings of Royalty, with Andy Ray--after a second
move—DW’s NY Yank (George Brennan) and Weslynn Dancer (Matt Kakaley) settling
for the minor moolah.
For
second choice Smalltownthrowdown, a 6-year-old statebred Cash Hall gelding
co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard, Bruce Soulsby, VIP
Internet Stable and Yves Sarazin, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal
starts. The exacta paid $26, the triple returned $66 and the superfecta paid
$273.50.
The adult-table pace saw favored Bettor’s Fire N—from assigned post No. 2—stuff
Air Strike (Brent Holland) in behind early, then take it the distance (:27.1, 57.1, 1:25.1, 1:53.1).
Air Strike tried him from the pocket, but missed a length. Third went to a
ground-saving, 80-1 rank outsider Techtor Hanover (Stratton), with Aston Hill
Dave (Tyler Buter) and Great Vintage (Jim Marohn Jr.) rounding out the payees.
For
Bettor’s Fire N, an 11-year-old Bettor’s Delight Down Under gelding co-owned by
his driver, Kevin Sywyk and Frank Ranaldi, it was his first win in a pair of
’19 tries. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $16.40, the triple returned
$215.50 and the superfecta paid $1,674.
