The fifth night of the fifth month found Mark MacDonald putting forth his own Cinco de Mayo festivities, piloting five winners during Yonkers Raceway’s dozen races Saturday, May 5.

MacDonald’s Saturday quintet was highlighted by Western Fame in the co-featured $40,000 Open Handicap Pace.

After backpedaling out of the pocket in the final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series a fortnight ago, the homebred showed no ill-effects here.

Caught three-wide early from post position four, Western Fame made the lead after a contentious :26.2 opening quarter-mile. He then rated to the half in :55.4, which served him well as 11-10 choice Somewhere In L A came to visit.

Somewhere In L A moved from fourth, challenging at three quarters in 1:23.4. Western Fame opened a length into the lane, then held sway in 1:52.2. Second went to a second-up Gratian Hanover, who closed resolutely but missed a neck.

Somewhere In L A, Windsong Leo and Roland N Rock came away with the small envelopes.

For third choice Western Fame, a five-year-old son of Western Ideal owned by Brittany Farms and trained by Jimmy Takter, it was his third win in seven starts this season. He paid $14.00 to win.

MacDonald’s five-bagger began as favoured We Think Alike ($4.10) won the $20,000 fourth-race pace (1:53). Sunfire Blue Chip ($4.00) handily went the distance in the $25,000, ninth-race pace (1:52.4), then odds-on fave Artful Way did the same in the $20,000, 10th-race pace (1:53).

The subject then won the $20,000 pacing finale with an off-the-pace Swing City ($9.40) in a season’s-best 1:52.2

One race that eluded MacDonald was the co-featured $40,000 Open Handicap Trot, where odds-on Fearless Man ($3.70) repeated in facile fashion. From post six, he finished what he started, going splits of :28.3, 58.4 and 1:27, progressing to a season’s-best 1:56.

For Fearless Man, an eight-year-old Elegant Man gelding trained by Andrew Harris for co-owners Rick Zeron Stables, Murray Greenfield, Noblock and Cool Cat Racing, it was his fifth win in 13 starts this season.

(With files from Yonkers Raceway)