Pole-sitting Bluebird Jesse went the distance, winning the $85,000 final of the Bonus Trotting Series on Tuesday, April 24.

The event, co-sponsored by Yonkers Raceway and the Standardbred Owners Association of the New York, offered three preliminary legs leading to the final.

The field was reduced to seven after an injury defection, with three of those coupled due to the intersection of common trainer and cross-ownership.

At the outset, Bluebird Jesse was about to stuff Tyson in behind when the latter broke. That misdeed may have been the reason Optimist Blue Chip jumped it off, but Tyson would eventually get back trotting, only to break again.

Meanwhile, Seasoned Saint, starting right next door to the leader, wound up pocketed as part of the 15-cents-on-the-dollar favoured troika. Bluebird Jesse was hard-used early after a :27.4 opening quarter-mile before rating a :58.1 intermission.

Lone-lass Romancing Rachel, another part of the entry, was third. However, the battle lines were drawn between the leader and his pursuer. Seasoned Saint, the only entrant to sweep all three prelims, pulled against Bluebird Jesse well before the 1:26.4 three-quarters.

The two were just about in tandem from the final turn to the wire, but Bluebird Jesse was both stubborn and swift. He defeated Seasoned Saint by a head in a life-best-matching 1:54.4. Romancing Rachel was another five lengths back in third, with Aces and Eights and Icanflylikeanangel settling for the minors.

For second choice Bluebird Jesse, a four-year-old Jailhouse Jesse gelding trained by Scott DiDomenico for co-owners Brian Carsey, John McGill and Adam Friedland, it was his third win in six seasonal starts. Driven by George Brennan, he paid $12.20 to win.

The ‘bonus’ portion of the series was a $10,000 SOA-paid premium to the winner, all of whose humans were association members prior to the first draw of the series

A $35,000 series consolation was won by Chapter Too, a $4.30 winner piloted by Jason Bartlett, in 1:55.1.

(With files from Yonkers Raceway)