BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, February 1, 2020—Bettor Memories (Eric Goodell, $21) did it the hard
way Saturday night (Feb. 1st), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $35,000
Preferred Handicap Pace with a first-up foray.
Unhurried from
post position No. 4, Bettor Memories saw reformed claimer—and 7-10
favorite—Keystone Phoenix (Dan Dube) lead through seemingly-soft ’flat’
intervals of :27 and :56. Bettor Memories then moved from fifth, making
up significant ground into a :27.4 third quarter (1:23.4). Keystone Phoenix was
about to wear out his welcome in and out of the final turn.
Bettor Memories
went by, closing the sale in 1:52…equal 56-second halves. San Domino A (Jordan
Stratton) stalked the winner but missed a head, with a trapped Trump Nation
(George Brennan) extricating himself from the pocket to grab third.
Tremendous Play
(Jason Bartlett) and a tiring Keystone Phoenix settled for the remainder.
For fourth choice Bettor Memories, a 7-year-old Bettor’s
Delight gelding owned by Gus Dovi and trained by Nifty Norman, it was his
second (consecutive) win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $85.50, the
triple returned $294 and the superfecta paid $1,640.
Saturday night’s $27,000 trotting feature was a
down-the-the-road display by favored Will Take Charge (Stratton, $5.50) in
1:55.2.
The Raceway’s live schedule continues with a Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday first post of 7:05 PM, as usual.
