Yonkers Raceway put its 2018 meet to bed Sunday afternoon (Dec. 16) with a card that saw DWs NY Yank (George Brennan, $13.80) win the track’s featured — and ‘sloppy’ — $44,000 Open Handicap Trot.

The week’s marquee was contested at the flat-mile distance, one race before the seven added-distance ‘French’ races.

From Post 4, the eventual winner went down the road (:28.1, :58, 1:27, 1:56.3). Along the way, another leaver, Mostinterestingman (who was driven by Austin Siegelman) jumped it off; the outside-assigned NF Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr.) was wide early and out the mile, and 6-5 favourite Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Dube) left the cones and retreated soon thereafter.

Down the backside, Weslynn Dancer (Matt Kakaley) made a looming move, but couldn’t sustain it. She did, however, photo a pocketed Andy Ray (Jason Bartlett) for second as DWs NY Yank finished it off by a length and a half.

NF Happenstance and Royal Bachelor (Jim Marohn Jr.) picked off the remainders.

DWs New York Yank, pictured victorious at Yonkers Raceway on Sunday, December 16, 2018

For fourth choice DWs NY Yank – a nine-year-old Dilbert Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke and Weaver Bruscemi – it was his seventh win from 26 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $97.50, the triple returned $281, and the superfecta paid $1,192.

Sunday’s final foray incarnation of the ‘New York, New York Double’ featured a winning combination of 1-Hattie L (Aqueduct’s first race) and 3-Dynamic Edge (Yonkers’ fourth race), which returned $41.25 for every correct $1 ticket. The total pool was $4,058.

The Raceway’s 2019 season is set to begin on the evening of Monday, January 7, pending approval of the New York State Gaming Commission. There are no Sunday matinees scheduled. During the hiatus, afternoon simulcasting is available more often than not. Please visit empirecitycasino.com for a current schedule.

(Yonkers Raceway)