Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $44,000 Open Handicap Trot was won by a resurgent dozen-to-one Amigo Ranger (Dan Dube, $26.20).
Away in good order from post position No. 3, Ontario-sired Amigo Ranger settled third as pole-sitting Rossini (Jordan Stratton) was all set to pass the torch to Daylon Magician (Eric Goodell) when that one jumped it off. That misdeed left Amigo Ranger in the pocket.
After a :28.1 opening quarter-mile and before a :57.4 intermission, Daylon Magician broke again. Meanwhile, Coraggioso (Brian Sears) — the 7-10 choice from his ordered eight-hole — had found a seat fourth.
Coraggioso engaged the leader in and out of a 1:26.1 three-quarters, even taking a rest stop when Amigo Ranger lost ground in the two-hole. Rossini owned a length and a half lead into the lane, but Coraggioso collared him...only to get snapped himself.
A suddenly-refreshed Amigo Ranger ducked in and whipped the people’s preference by a half-length in 1:55.1, matching his season’s-best clocking. Zooming (Eric Carlson), Rossini and Tober (Jason Bartlett) came away with the remainder.
For fourth choice Amigo Ranger, a five-year-old son of Amigo Hall co-owned by trainer Rene Allard (as Allard Racing), Racing Team of America and Kapildeo Singh, the win was his fifth (third consecutive) in 18 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $74.50, with the triple returning $939.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)