A pocketed Write Me a Song picked off favoured Imprincessgemma A nearing the wire Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $42,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Making the first lead from post position No. 5, Write Me a Song (George Brennan) stuffed Tequila Monday (Eric Goodell) in behind before yielding to 7-5 choice Imprincessgemma A (Joe Bongiorno). All that transpired before a 27-second opening quarter-mile.

It was a rated :56.1 intermission when Tequila Monday made her second move, advancing from third toward a 1:24.3 three-quarters. That lass stalled soon after, with Imprincessgemma A taking a length-and-a-half lead in and out of the final turn.

Write Me a Song edged by, however, the final margin three-quarters of a length in 1:52.4. ‘Gemma’ held second, with ground-savers Robyn Camden (Jim Marohn, Jr.) and Angels Pride (Brent Holland), along with Glenferrie Blade A (Jordan Stratton) coming away with the small change.

For second choice Write Me a Song, a four-year-old daughter of Sportsmaster co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Phil Collura, it was her ninth win in 23 seasonal starts. She paid $6.10 to win.

A friendly reminder from Yonkers Raceway that Saturday evening’s Pick 5 wager starts with a carryover of $2,961.94 and a $10,000 guaranteed pool. The guarantee is in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program.

The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager comprising races 7 through 11 Saturday night. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Friday night), the entire pool (minus takeout) moves to the next racing program.

(Yonkers)