Ontario-Bred Mare Wins Yonkers Open
Favoured Set Me Up (George Brennan, $5.40) finished what she started Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $35,000 featured Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
In play early from post position No. 3, Set Me Up—beaten choice a week ago—marched around Sir Jillian Z Tam (Pat Lachance), then waltzed through Westchester (:28.2, :58.4, 1:27.1).
In the interim, last week’s victress, Spirit Of Desire (Jason Bartlett), was trying it first-up, moving from fourth. Set Me Up had a length and a half entering the lane, then fended off “Jillian” in a two-speed number. The final margin was a half-length in 1:55. Spirit Of Desire held third, with Palm Patrol (Mark MacDonald) and Robin Cruiser (Jordan Stratton) completing the cashers. Pole-assigned Nefertiti Bluechip (Matt Kakaley) settled for valuable experience, which figures to serve her well later in life.
For Set Me Up, a six-year-old daughter of Shark Gesture co-owned by trainer Ron Burke (as Burke Racing) and Weaver Bruscemi, it was her second win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $21.40, with the triple returning $55.50.
(Yonkers Raceway)