Dave Aint Here (Jim Pantaleano) went the distance Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $32,000 Open Handicap Pace

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Leaving from post position No. 2, "Dave" stepped around Diamond Stick Pin (Jeff Gregory), making the lead before a 28-second opening quarter-mile. He then rated a :57.2 mid-point before Fox Valley Tribal (Stephane Bouchard) tried it first-up.

Dave Aint Here maintained the throne at the 1:25.4 three-quarters, taking a length-and-a-quarter lead into the lane. From there, he need only deal with Diamond Stick Pin. "Dave" did, holding sway by a neck in a season's-best 1:53.4.

Fox Valley Tribal held the bottom off the ticket, with Next Adventure (Jason Bartlett) and Hennessy Hanover (Jordan Stratton) earning the minor spoils. Southwind Tabor (Ryan Anderson), the tepid favourite at just under 3-1, couldn't get involved from the eight-hole and finished seventh.

For Dave Aint Here, a nine-year-old Blissfull Hall gelding owned and trained by Ettore Annunziata, he paid $22 (seventh choice) for his second win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $103, with the triple returning $418. All thee of the weekend features were won by double-digit odds propositions.

Also Saturday, the Raceway and the Standardbred Owners Association of New York honoured 2009's leading driver (Bartlett), trainer (Josh Green) and owner (Larry Baron) during a winner's circle presentation. Joe Faraldo and John Brennan, SOA president and vice president, handed out the awards.

Please note that beginning Tuesday night, the Raceway shall offer five superfectas nightly (races 3,5,7,10 & 12), provided there are a sufficient number of wagering interests in each scheduled superfecta race.

(Yonkers Raceway)