It was the old double-nickel Saturday night as a pair of fives took down Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 co-featured Open Handicaps.
The Canadian connected Rock Of Cashel (Scott Zeron, $13.20) won the week’s marquee trot from second-over, snapping pacesetting (:28.3, :58, 1:27.1) 17-10 choice Springbank Sam N (Jordan Stratton) by a head in 1:56. Dot Dot Dot Dash (Steve Smith) offered her best stride late to grab third, with a two-move Red Hot Herbie (Jason Bartlett) and a pocket-tiring Newcastle (Dan Dube) settling for the minors.
For third choice Rock Of Cashel, the win was his second win in six seasonal starts. The seven-year-old son of Majestic Son is trained by Mark Harder and owned by Joseph Jannuzzelli of Manalapan, New Jersey and Jeff Ruch of Innisfil, Ont. The exacta paid $48, with the triple returning $124.
The weekly featured pace saw tepid fave Caviart Luca (George Brennan, $6.30) have a simple a trip as was equine-ly possible, as in unpressured intervals of :27.3, :57.3, 1:25 and 1:52.2. The final margin was two and a quarter lengths over the loose pocket of Sports Bettor (Brent Holland).
A season-debuting Bit Of A Legend N (Stratton) was saved to the lane from the eight-hole, then was sharp closing for third. Delaware interloper Soto (Matt Kakaley) was also solid late grabbing fourth, while First Class Horse (Tyler Buter) earned the final pay envelope.
For Caviart Luca, a six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by trainer Ron Burke (as Burke Racing), Weaver Bruscemi and Phil Collura, the win was his fourth in five ’17 tries. The exacta paid $40.40, with the triple returning $664.
More tidbits from Saturday evening:
- Rob Harmon trainee Luck O The Irish (Stratton, $37.60) edged out the popular pacesetter Hemi Seelster (Bartlett) and Not Afraid (Dube) by a neck to win the $39,000 Preferred Trot in 1:56;
- In the $39,000 Winners Over Handicap Pace, Blood Brother (Bartlett, $5.90) was a four-length winner in 1:52 for the Richard Banca stable;
- No one hit the Pick 5, so Monday night’s gimmick begins with a carryover of $2,310.27 (50-cent base wager, Monday going as races seven through 11);
- Stratton won four races, including three in succession, during the 10-race card;
- A local season-high Daily Double of $1,251 was the result of 6-Validus Deo (Dube, $99.50) and 4-Aggressive (Mark MacDonald, $24.40) winning the first two races.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)