Call Me Queen Be (Eric Goodell, $8.20) retook the lead early and grudgingly held it late Friday night (November 17), winning Yonkers Raceway’s blindly-drawn (by modern technology) $40,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.

Away second from post potion No. 2, ‘Queen Be’ at first was pocketed to HP Sissy (Dan Dube) then retook before a :27.2 opening quarter-mile.

It was a :56.1 intermission when Regil Elektra (Joe Bongiorno) offered a fruitless, first-up bid from fifth. Meanwhile, Call Me Queen Be maintained her social status in and out of a 1:24.3 three-quarters, taking a length and a half lead into the lane.

She would need just about all of it. Slight 5-2 favourite All About Madi (Brian Sears), who won the draw but sat a loose three-hole, stormed home inside. ‘Madi’s’ memo arrived a tad late as she missed a scant nose in 1:53.3. Mach It A Par (Jason Bartlett) left the cones to snatch third, beaten a half-length. HP Sissy and Shesjustadelight N (Ron Cushing) settled for the pre-turkey leftovers.

For tepid second choice Call Me Queen Be, a four-year-old millionairess daughter of Somebeachsomewhere co-owned by Let it Ride Stables & Dana Parham and trained by Ross Croghan, the win was her fourth in 19 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $21.40, with the triple returning $63.50.

A friendly reminder from Yonkers Raceway that Saturday evening’s (November 18) Pick 5 wager starts with a carryover of $3,867.20.

The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager comprising races seven through 11 during every racing card. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Friday night), the entire pool (minus takeout) moves to the next racing program.

(Yonkers Raceway)