BY
FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, February 29,
2020—Even-money Lean Hanover (Jim Marohn Jr., $4) and a repeating Tookadiveoffdipper (Eric Goodell, $19)
held on and held sway Saturday night (Feb. 29th),
winning Yonkers Raceway’s pair of $40,000 co-features.
There wasn’t any Leap Night leaping per
se, but both Lean Hanover and Tookadiveoffdipper did vault over their
respective rivals early.
Lean Hanover, from post position No. 3 in
the blind-draw marquee trot, worked around Mostinterestingman (Austin Siegelman)
before a :28.2 opening quarter-mile.
It was between a pokey :58.4 intermission and 1:27 three-quarters that Elysium
Lindy (Jason Bartlett) moved from third.
He ended up
pestering Lean Hanover for the duration, though the favorite did last by a
scant nose in 1:56.1. Elysium Lindy drifted late and that did have no
favors, while Mostinterestingman was third, beaten a neck. Certify
(Jordan Stratton) and Photo Bomber (George Brennan) came away with the lesser
envelopes, while a returning Tight Lines (Dan Dube) found himself devoid of
trot, last among the half-dozen.
For Lean
Hanover, a 7-year-old Donato Hanover gelding co-owned by P C Wellwood
Enterprises & Karen Carroll and trained by Linda Toscano, it was his second
win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $20.40, with the triple returning
$58.
Saturday
night’s $40,000 Open Handicap Pace saw Tookadiveoffdipper—a week after wiring
his foes at 17-1—do it again, albeit at a shorter price.
From post No.
6—same as last Saturday—‘Dipper’ finished what he started (:27.1, :57, 1:25,
1:53.4). He was a head in front of a two-move Ostro Hanover (Dube) and a
half-length in front of a last-to-third Jack’s Legend N (Bartlett). Italian
Delight N (Siegelman) and Micky Gee N (Stratton) rounded out the payees, while
tepid 2-1 choice Ideal Jimmy (Brent Holland) pulled pocket and backpedaled to
sixth.
For fifth
choice Tookadiveoffdipper, a 6-year-old Always a Virgin gelding co-owned by
Jane & Mark Cross and trained by Virgil Morgan Jr., it was his fourth win
in seven ’20 tries. The exacta paid $78.50, with the triple returning $359.50.
