BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, July 20, 2019—Scott
Rocks (Eric Goodell, $8.30) and Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton, $6.30) both
went the distance Saturday night (July 20th), winning Yonkers
Raceway’s pair of $46,000 co-featured Open Handicaps.
From post position No. 4 in the weekly
pacing feature, Scott Rocks had to work around 95-1 pole-assigned Great Vintage
(Troy Beyer). He did, making the lead right at a :26.2 opening quarter-mile.
The longshot leaver forced slight 5-2 favorite Caviart Luca (George Brennan) to
take a three-hole before that one made a second move.
Caviart Luca went after Scott Rocks from a
:55.3 intermission to a 1:22.4 three-quarters, with The Real One (Pat Lachance)
second-over. Scott Rocks owned a length-and-three-quarter leader into the lane,
then closed the sale.
He defeated The Real One by three-quarters
of a length, with Caviart Luca third. A belated eight-holer Micky Gee N
(Stratton) and Proven Desire (Jim Marohn Jr.) picked off the remainder.
For fourth choice Scott Rocks, a 9-year-old
Rocknroll Hanover gelding co-owned by Northfork Racing & Chuck Pompey and
trained by Hunter Oakes, it was his sixth win in 15 seasonal starts. The exacta
paid $54, the triple paid $147.50 and the superfecta paid $585.
Will Take Charge did his bidding from post No. 7 in the week’s marque trot. Out into the second turn, he eventually went past In Secret (Brennan) after that one’s :27.3 opening quarter.
Will Take Charge did his bidding from post No. 7 in the week’s marque trot. Out into the second turn, he eventually went past In Secret (Brennan) after that one’s :27.3 opening quarter.
From there, intervals of :56.3, 1:25.4 and a season-best-matching
1:54 made it fairly simple. The final margin over In Secret was a
length-and-three-quarters, with 13-10 choice Melady’s Monet (Goodell) a
never-in-it third. New Heaven (Marohn Jr.) and Eye ofa Tiger AS (Jason
Bartlett) settled for the smaller envelopes.
For second choice Will Take Charge, a
6-year-old Kadabra gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Gillis and Mac Nichol, it
was his fourth win in a dozen ’19 tries. The exacta paid $31, the triple paid
$133 and the superfecta paid $245.50.
