Yonkers Raceway took the bow off its 2018 season today (Sunday, January 7), and Consolidator, the lone mare in the track’s $50,000 Open Handicap Trot, captured the extended-distance event in 2:29.

Originally drawn with nine entrants, the field was pared to seven after the eight-hole (Meladys Monet, sick) and nine-hole (Tight Lines, weather) assignees were scratched.

Consolidator ($16.60), who started from Post 4 with driver Jim Marohn Jr., worked out a third-over trip. She set it up after Mostinterestingman (driven by Brent Holland) stuffed Money Maven (Yannick Gingras) into the pocket before eventually yielding to the 9-10 post time choice, Cash Me Out (Eric Goodell).

All of that action took place through early intervals of :29.4, 1:00 and 1:30.2. Money Maven then made his second move, as he went right at Cash Me Out at the 1:59.3 milepost.

Consolidator (4), pictured defeating male rivals at Yonkers Raceway on Sunday, January 7, 2018 (Mike Lizzi)

A second-up Luminosity (George Brennan) wasn’t the problem, but Consolidator was. She closed fastest and picked off Money Maven by a head in the mile-and-a-quarter contest. Cash Me Out faded to third, while Homen Dry (Matt Kakaley) and Luminosity settled for the remaining spoils.

A casualty of the demise of the passing lane was Mostinterestingman, who was pocketed behind the tiring leader and ending up finishing sixth.

Consolidator, a five-year-old daughter of Triumphant Caviar, is co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard, Bruce Soulsby, Laura Baker and Alan Weisenberg. She was sent off as the public’s fourth choice. Consolidator’s winning 2018 debut pushed her career earnings over $488,000. The exacta paid $79.50, with triple returned $256.50.

(With files from Yonkers Raceway)