Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $44,000 co-featured Open Handicaps -- one for distaff pacers and one for trotters with valid working papers -- were won by a inside-routing Rockaround Sue (Jason Bartlett, $12.80) and a down-the-road favourite Somebody AS (Dan Dube, $4.10).
Rockaround Sue, in no early hurry from post position No. 5, waited her turn as last week’s victress, Coffee Addict (Dube), set early intervals of :27.2 and :56.4. Set Me Up (George Brennan), as the 2-1 favourite, was offering just mild, first-over grief in and out of a 1:25 three-quarters. Robin Cruiser (Jordan Stratton), meanwhile, going wide from second-up.
Coffee Addict owned a length and a quarter lead into the lane before “Sue” closed from fifth deep in the passing lane. She picked off the leader by a head in 1:54, while Robin Cruiser, Seafood Annie (Greg Merton) and Campanile (Tyler Buter) came away with the small change.
For fourth choice Rockaround Sue, a five-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover trained by PJ Fraley for co-owners Bamond Racing and Silva Stables, it was her fourth win in 30 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $100, with the triple returning $408.
The week’s marquee trot was a three-speed number, with Ontario-sired Somebody As, New York Sire Stakes sophomore winner Gural Hanover (Brennan) and Lorenzo Dream (Brent Holland) departed 1-2-3 and finished that same way.
Somebody AS, from post No. 4, never had an anxious moment (:28.2, :57.4, 1:26.3, 1:54.2). Last week’s runner-up whipped the statebred champ by three and three-quarter lengths. It was “Lorenzo,” The Triple Lindy (Carlson) and Traverse Seelster (Buter) settling for the remainder.
For Somebody As, a five-year-old Striking Sahbra gelding co-owned by ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson and trained by Anette Lorentzon, he’s now five-for-18 this season. The exacta (two wagering favourites) paid $17.60, the triple returned $120 and the superfecta paid $503.
Saturday night features the sixth annual Fall Harvest Festival, trackside from 4-8 p.m. Also, the Legislators’ Challenge -- a trio of non-wagering events with New York State elected officials -- begins at 5:30 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)