Rock N Roll Heaven, the richest horse in harness racing this season, added to his already impressive bankroll by winning Saturday night's $437,100 Messenger Stakes at Yonkers Raceway

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The odds-on choice for Horse of the Year honours stateside fronted the field at the opening quarter in :27.4 with Tobago Cays (Cat Manzi) in the pocket while second choice One More Laugh (Tim Tetrick) made his move from fifth to challenge just past the :56.1 half.

As One More Laugh started his bid, Dube asked his pacer for another gear and he responded with a :27.3 third quarter for a 1:23.4 three-quarter time. One More Laugh was unable to advance past the pocket sitter and eventually faded while Rock N Roll Heaven opened up to win by five in 1:51.4. Urgent Action (Jason Bartlett) skimmed the pylons to nail Tobago Cays for second.

The connections of Rock N Roll Heaven - owner Frank Bellino of Bronxville, New York, that is - took $60,000 from the colt's $1.8 million war chest to supplement to the Messenger.

For the season, the son of Rocknroll Hanover now has 14 wins - including eight-in-a-row - two seconds and one third in 18 starts. He's captured the $500,000 final of Breeders Crown along with the $410,789 final of the Little Brown Jug (winning elim and final in identical 1:49.2 efforts), as well as last month's $604,000 Tattersalls at The Red Mile.

Bruce Saunders trains and Dan Dube drives the Harness Horse of the Year favourite, who has won 18-of-28 career starts and more than $2.5 million.

"He's just a great colt, and he keeps on proving it," Dube said. "He had things his own way, but that was a very fast mile with the cold and the wind."

"This was a very important race of us," Saunders said. "I've raced here for most of my career, the owners are from right down the road and we wanted to bring the horse here.

"People have asked me the best thing about him, and sometimes it's as simple as 'he likes to race.' He's a tremendous athlete, and I appreciate the chance to train him. You always hope to have one this good."

Saturday night's undercard included the $326,680 Lady Maud Pace for three-year-old fillies, where New York Sire Stakes champ Anndrovette and Jason Bartlett overcame the outside seven-hole. She circled the field down the backside, rolling three-deep and drawing off. Anndrovette defeated Cannae Cammie (Dube) by a couple of lengths in 1:55.1 Discoverer (Brennan), the 69-1 longshot, was third, with the early dueling duo of Naughtytiltheend (Andy Miller) and 8-5 choice Hulas Z Tam (Pat Lachance) lasting for the final two pay envelopes.

For Anndrovette, a daughter of Riverboat King co-owned by trainer Mark Kesmodel, Joe Davino and Jeffrey Bamond, the victory was her eighth in 16 seasonal starts. She has banked most of her $481,760 bankroll this season.

"I knew with the draw, I'd probably need a few of them to mix it up. but she felt real good," Bartlett said. "Once I asked, she moved well, and I was able to get the jump on Dan's filly [Cannae Cammie]. I can't say enough about her. She hasn't given me a bad race yet."

"The way she handled the sire stakes, we thought she deserved a chance to go in here," Kesmodel said of the decision to pay the $30,000 buy-in (as did Cannae Cammie and Naughtytiltheend). "Obviously, we made the right choice."

The 55th edition of the Messenger – the third jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown - and the Lady Maud wrap up Yonkers Raceway's stakes season.

(With files from Yonkers Raceway)