Whogoesfirst, racing under the radar for much of the season, was seen on the screen Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $44,000 Open Handicap Pace with Cat Manzi aboard.
Assigned post position No. 4, he sat pocketed to 11-10 choice Sapphire City (Brent Holland) as that one threw down intervals of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:24.4. Four Starz Trace (Jason Bartlett) tried his luck first-up, but was never close as Sapphire City opened a couple of lengths turning for home.
However, in mid-stretch, his hooves began to get heavy and Whogoesfirst closed inside. The latter whipped the former by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.4, with Jerrys Brown Gold (Pat Lachance)--last turning for home--Rock Em (Jordan Stratton) and BJs Bequia (Mark MacDonald) rounding out the payees.
For Whogoesfirst, a four-year-old Cambest gelding co-owned by trainer Luanne Case and S & P Racing, he returned $18.80 (fourth choice) for his seventh win in 24 seasonal starts (single-season-best earnings of $132,893). The exacta paid $34.80, with the triple returning $240.
The New York Sire Stakes caravan returns downstate next week, with Tuesday's $288,360 Clyde Hirt Pace (two-year-old fillies) and Thursday's $285,840 Mike Cohen Trot (two-year-old fillies)
(Yonkers Raceway)