It was just Manzi being Manzi. Cat Manzi won thrice Friday night, including both of Yonkers Raceway's $31,000 Oepn Handicaps with reformed claimer Nip N Attack (Filly & Mare Pace) and track record-holder American Lane (Trot)
. All three winners were trained by Carl Cito, Jr.
Nip N Attack, who tired in the pocket a week ago after graduating from the claiming ranks, had no such issues here.
Assigned the pole, she was pocketed as 19-10 favorite Symphony in Motion (Brent Holland) led through early intervals of :28 and :57.3. Sentbytheangels (Ryan Anderson) offered unwanted, first-up company, grabbing the lead just after the 1:26.4 three-quarters.
Sentbytheangels then had to deal with Nip N Attack, who slipped out behind the tiring pace-setter.
Nip N Attack, with dead aim, gunned down Sentbytheangels by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:55. Pancleefandarpels (Jason Bartlett), last week's winner and this week's eight-hole assignee, shot the cones to grab third, with J K Pure Pearl (Pat Lachance) and Symphony In Motion completing the cashers.
For Nip N Attack, a five-year-old daughter if On the Attack co-owned by Keith Motusesky along with Manzi's better half, Ellen, she paid $10.20 (third choice) for her first win in three seasonal starts. The victress led an $82.50 exacta and $457 triple.
American Lane, ordered outside his seven rivals, made the lead just after the :28.2 opwning two furlongs and, after a 31-second next quarter, was never threatened.
A 58-second back half completed a measured, three-quarters-of-a-length win over pocket-sitting 19-10 choice Indiana Hall (Jeff Gregory), with Summertime Yankee (Jim Pantaleano), Meadowview Matty (Lachance) and Rapid Strategy (Jordan Stratton) grabbing the small change.
For American Lane, a seven-year-old Primrose Lane gelding co-owned by David Scharf & Jerry Silva, he paid $6.50 (second choice) four his win in three '09 tries. The exacta paid $22.60, with the triple returning $157.
Like Manzi, Stephane Bouchard won three races on the 11-race card.
To view Friday's results, click here.
(Yonkers)