One More Laugh Delivers In Open Pace
Double millionaire One More Laugh, driven by Eric Goodell, two-moved and prevailed Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $44,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Leaving from post position No. 5 as the 6-5 favourite, One More Laugh made the lead before a :26.4 opening quarter-mile. He yielded to Rock To Glory (Dan Dube) in the second turn, retook, then found a :54.4 half.
Code Word (Jason Bartlett) edged from third, though making minimal impact at the 1:23 three-quarters. With Rock To Glory retreating in the pocket, the leader had two lengths turning for home. He went on to win by a diminishing half-length in 1:52. Second went to Blatantly Good (Mark MacDonald), with Nob Hill High (Jordan Stratton) skimming the cones for third. Unfortunately, he skimmed them a bit too closely (as in went inside a few) and was set down to fifth for his transgression. That moved Code Word and Four Trumps A (Larry Stalbaum) each up one notch.
For One More Laugh, a five-year-old McArdle gelding trained by co-owner Ray Schnittker for partners Creative Racing and J & T Silva Stables, he returned $4.40 for his fourth win in 21 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $29.60, with the triple returning $113.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)