BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY,
Saturday, March 7, 2020—Down-the-roaders I’m Some Graduate (George Brennan, $6)
and Elysium Lindy (Dan Dube, $27.40) proved best Saturday night (March 7th),
winning Yonkers Raceway’s pair of $44,000 Open Handicaps.
I’m Some Graduate,
from assigned post position No. 5 in the adult-table pace, had few issues in
maintaining huis current form. He worked around pole-sitting I’marocknrollegend
N (Joe Bongiorno), then finished what he started (:27.1; :57, 1:24.2; 1:52.2) after a weak, first-over attempt
by Tremendous Play (Jason Bartlett). ‘Legend” chased in vain, beaten a
couple of lengths, with Soho Lennon A (Jim Marohn Jr.) a non-threatening third.
Luciano N (Austin Siegelman) and Micky Gee N (Jordan
Stratton) rounded out the payees.
For I’m Some Graduate, a 7-year-old Somebeachsomewhere
gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi,
J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Larry Karr, it was his fourth win in five
seasonal starts (fourth in last five tries). The exacta (two wagering
favorites) paid $18, with the triple returning $68.
Elysium Lindy also went the distance in a strange week’s
marquee trot.
From the pole, he was seemingly content to sit behind Weslynn
Dancer (Bartlett)…until the latter “wanted to go back to the paddock or
something,” Bartlett said. At any rate, after two-moving to the lead, Weslynn
Dancer found herself out in the air, serving as a fortuitous ‘pick’ for Elysium
Lindy.
That one was more than accepting of the largesse, completing
his appointed rounds (:27.1; 56.4; 1:25.1; 1:55) a length in front of
cone-skimming Mostinterestingman (Siegelman). Third went to Stormy Kromer
(catch-driver Bongiorno), with even-money choice Melady’s Monet (Brennan)
fourth after having to go wide early around Weslynn Dancer.
Arabella’s Cadet (Stratton) picked off the final envelope,
ahead of the self-imposed grief of Weslynn Dancer.
For fifth choice Elysium Lindy, a 7-year-old Cantab Hall gelding
owned Panic Stable and trained by Andrew Harris, it was his fourth win in eight
’20 tries The exacta paid $178.50, with the triple returning $713.
