Yonkers Raceway's usual Friday night pair of $44,000 co-featured Open Handicaps--for distaff pacers and regardless-of-gender trotters--were won by Shady Daisy upsetter Blackjack Princess (Mark MacDonald, $5.40) and Tober (Brent Holland, $8.50).

Leaving from post position No. 2 against her elders, she was the first to the lead, then played leapfrog with Oceans Motion (Yannick Gingras). 'Blackjack' regained the advantage just after a :27.4 opening quarter-mile.

From there, a soft :29.4 second quarter (:57.3 half), then no pressure whatsoever from a first-up Enduring Delight (Eric Goodell) at the 1:26.3 three-quarters. Blackjack Princess took a length and a half lead into the lane, needing only to hold off the lass on her back.

She did, winning by a half-length in 1:54.2, with Artsy Princess (Jason Bartlett), Queen Of Royalty (Brent Holland) and 3-2 favourite Keepers Destiny (George Brennan) grabbing the remainder. Keepers Destiny missed the memo at the outset, throwing in a handful of steps and spotting the field a handful of lengths from her assigned eight-hole.

For second choice Blackjack Princess, a three-year-old daughter of Cams Card Shark owned by Bob DiNozzi and trained by Mark Ford, it was her fourth win (third consecutive) in 19 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $92.50, with the triple returning $470.50.

Tober, away fourth from post No. 2, sustained a big move in and out of the final turn to whip 32-1 rank outsider Celebrity Bluechip by a half-length in 1:56.1 Looking Hanover (Gingras) cut the mile as the 17-10 choice and faded to third. A right-before-post-time scratch of Gurf reduced the field to seven.

It was Looking Hanover stepping around invading Hes Spooky (Brian Sears), then throwing down intervals of :28.3, :57.4 and 1:26.2. Meanwhile, Tober was launching his bid, advancing to third turning for home. Hes Spooky pulled pocket and went the wrong way as Tober continued on and held off the last-early Celebrity Bluechip. Looking Hanover, Master Pine (Jim Pantaleano) and Hes Spooky rounded out the payees.

For Tober, a four-year-old statebred Credit Winner gelding trained by Ed Hart for co-owners Joseph Betro and Kristie Leigh Farm, he returned $16.20 (fourth choice) for his fifth win in 19 seasonal starts (identical win/start resume of a season ago). The exacta paid $503, the triple returned $1,954 and the superfecta paid $6,108.

The $1.8 million New York Night of Champions is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22. Eight $225,000 divisional finals--for two and three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits--comprise the richest night of racing in the state.

(Yonkers Raceway)