Upset Winners In Yonkers Opens
A two-move Theresademoninme (Eric Goodell, $22.80) and a cone-skimming Control Tower (Joe Bongiorno, $60.50) muddled the mutuels Saturday night (Augist 3), winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $46,000 Open Handicaps.
From post position No. 4 in the week’s marquee trot, Theresademoninme left, then found himself in a three-hole behind Lord Cromwell (Jason Bartlett) and Mostinterestingman (Austin Siegelman).
The former led through intervals of :27.4 and :57.2. Theresademoninme was out and moving, engaging the leader by the 1:26.1 three-quarters. He hooked Lord Cromwell in and out of the final turn, then ground that rival into submission.
Theresademoninme then widened, winning by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:55.1. Im The Muscle (Dan Dube) arrived late, snapping Lord Cromwell for second, with 2-5 choice Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton) and Money Maven (Brent Holland) grabbing the remainder.
Note that eight-holer Will Take Charge threw in steps right before the start, making his job that much more difficult.
For fifth choice Theresdemoninme, an eight-year-old Kadabra gelding co-owned by Thomas Lazzaro, Michael Casalino Jr. & Howard Taylor and trained by Dylan Davis, the win was his eighth in 19 seasonal starts (and 40th career victory). The exacta paid $147, the triple returned $765 and the superfecta paid $2,468.
The weekly adult-table pace saw Dr J Hanover (Holland) roll through subsections of :27.3, :56.2 and 1:23.3. Owning a length-and-a-half lead entering the lane, he just failed to close the sale.
In a race where the first four finishers were separated by a neck, it was loosely-pocket, polester Control Tower finding room closest to the pylons. He picked off the Good Doctor by a nostril in 1:52. Our Max Phactor N (Bartlett) and 1-2 fave Im Some Graduate (Brennan) completed the close quartet, with The Real One (Pat Lachance)—beaten only a half-length—settling for the smallest pay envelope
For seventh choice Control Tower, an eight-year-old Panspacificflight gelding owned by Dynasty Racing and trained by Nick Surick, the win was his fifth in 24 ’19 tries. The exacta paid $155, the triple returned $518 and the superfecta (the good ol’ 1-2-3-4) paid $1,159.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)