Yonkers Raceway broke all the rules Saturday night, offering not one, not two, but three--count 'em, three $43,000 Open Handicaps

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Delightful Diva (Cat Manzi) did it the hard way--eight-hole, wide early, then first-up--in the distaff derby.

She settled in sixth as 7-5 favourite Shacked Up (Eric Goodell) lead through intervals of :26.2 and :56.3. Delightful Diva then took up the chase from the half going toward the 1:25.2 three-quarters. Soon thereafter, she looked to be spinning her wheels as Shacked Up owned a length-and-three-quarter lead turning for home.

However, the second wind showed up right around the 1:54 marker, before Delightful Diva surged past a tiring Shacked Up. The former went on the get the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 2:01, defeating Symphony In Motion (Jeff Gregory) by three-quarters of a length. Ramona Disomma (Jordan Stratton), Shacked Up and Lightning Dragon (Jason Bartlett) completed the cashers.

For Delightful Diva, a six-year-old Bettors Delight lass owned by KDM Stables and trained by Lou Pena, she returned $30.20 (sixth choice) for her sixth win in 20 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $212.50, with the triple returning $937.

The week's marquee trot offered a stretch battle between the two choices, with 11-10 T Js Mr Lavec (Bartlett) just getting to 8-5 KLM Express (Jim Marshall III).

The latter, from post No. 6 stepping around the former, from post No. 5, and putting up weigh stations of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:26.1. Whata Hustler (Manzi) was grinding first-up as KLM Express had a length-and-a-half lead entering the lane.

The leader hit the mile in 1:55.4, with the pocket pursuer angling out. 'T J,' last week's winner, repeated this time around by a head in an added-distance 2:03.1. Grain of Truth (Gregory), Armbro Casino (Shaun Vallee) and Donttellmywife (Pantaleano) came away with the remainder.

For T Js Mr Lavec, a seven-year-old Mr Lavec gelding trained by Scott Blackler for co-owners Beverly and Gary Paganelli, Allen Kaplan and Leon Schickman, he returned $4.30 for his fourth win in 14 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $10, the triple returned $71.50 and the superfecta paid $473.

Odds-on Real Nice (Bartlett, $3.20) made quick work of the double-scratch-shortened Open Handicap Pace, wiring his four foes from what became post position No. 4 in an added-distance 1:58.2. Wholly Louy (Pantaleano) held second--beaten four and a half lengths--over Life Up Front (Stratton).

For Real Nice, a six-year-old Real Artist gelding trained by Rich Banca for the Paganellis and co-owner Anthony Scussel, he's now won eight-of-14 starts this season, with the victory in the final of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series contributing to much of his $378,000-plus bankroll. The exacta her paid $8.70, with triple wagering cancelled.

(Yonkers Raceway)