Three weeks out and first-up were no problem for Ontario-bred Fat Mans Alley (Matt Kakaley) Saturday night, as evidenced by winning Yonkers Raceway's $33,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Taking it all in early from post position No. 4, Fat Mans Alley watched as a three-wide Dancin Yankee (Jason Bartlett) worked around Pan From Nantucket (Eric Goodell) before a :27.1 opening quarter-mile.

It was a :56.1 intermission as Fat Mans Alley was commencing his first of March march from sixth.

However, he was just pacing in place by the 1:24.1 three-quarters as Dancin Yankee took a length and a half lead into the lane. It was off the final turn that Fat Mans Alley received the memo and he went on by. The margin was a neck in 1:52.3 with Pan From Nantucket, Lumberjack Willie (Jordan Stratton) and Clear Vision (George Brennan) following in third through fifth.

American Rage (Brian Sears), the 19-10 favourite, was a non-factor seventh.

Fat Mans Alley, a six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding owned by Bamond Racing and trained by PJ Fraley, returned $15.60 (sixth choice) for his second win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $77, with the triple returning $308.50.

(Yonkers Raceway)