All together now, ‘Taking to the off-going like a duck to water…’

Ontario-sired Rubber Duck (Matt Kakaley, $18.40) ‘waddled home’ the fastest on Sunday afternoon (February 25) while winning Yonkers Raceway’s ‘sloppy’ $50,000 Open Handicap Trot.

The field of nine (which was reduced by one after a nose-to-gate defection) was contested as the first of seven ‘French’ trots at Yonkers on Sunday, and Rubber Duck started from the assigned 10-hole. Thus, he had no choice but to watch early as lass NF Happenstance (driven by Jack Parker Jr.) offered her customary leave.

Wide early from behind the ‘seven-ball’ after that scratch, she worked around 17-10 favourite In Secret (George Brennan) after a :28.1 opening quarter-mile.

Rubber Duck, pictured victorious at Yonkers Raceway on Sunday, February 25, 2018 (Image courtesy Chris Brokate)

It was a :57.4 half and 1:28.2 three-quarters before Meladys Monet (Jason Bartlett) made his second move. After having gotten away fourth, he went after NF Happenstance heading toward to the 1:57.2 milepost. However, Meladys Monet wasn’t the problem.

Le Reveur N (Dan Dube) went wide, but Rubber Duck went even wider. NF Happenstance did own a length-and-a-half lead into the lane, but the hooves were getting heavy. In Secret edged out of the pocket, while Rubber Duck continued his bid.

The latter went right past the former and won by a couple of lengths while freezing the mile-and-a-quarter timer in 2:27.4. Le Reveur N, NF Happenstance and Money Maven (Jordan Stratton) settled for the remaining purse cheques.

For fifth-choice Rubber Duck, a six-year-old Muscle Mass ridgling that is Alberta co-owned by Blair & Erna Corbeil and trained by Jennifer Bongiorno, it was his second win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $58.50 and the triple returned $375.50.

Sunday’s return of the ‘New York, New York Double’ offered a winning combination of 1-Westerdale (Aqueduct’s third race) and 9-Uva Hanover (Yonkers’ fifth race) paid $60.75 for every correct $1 wager. The total pool was $5,900.

(Yonkers Raceway)