Ontario-Sired Winners In Yonkers Opens
A pocketed Somebody AS (Jordan Stratton, $13.40) and a down-the-road Phil Your Boots (Tyler Buter, $5.40) earned the glory Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $32,000 Open Handicaps.
In the weekly featured trot, Somebody AS — from assigned post position No. 3 — watched invading Major Athens (George Brennan) lead the way. The slight 2-1 choice threw down the anvil (:28.1, :57.2, 1:26), taking a length and a half lead into the lane.
Red Hot Herbie (Brian Sears), who found an early three-hole, loomed at the leader in and out of the final turn, but flattened. Somebody AS though, was waiting for his shot. He ducked inside and bested a rallying Crazshana (Jason Bartlett) by a neck in 1:54.4, the fastest local mile of the season. Red Hot Herbie settled for third, with Major Athens Zooming (Buter) completed the cashers.
For third choice Somebody AS, a seven-year-old Striking Sahbra gelding trained by Anette Lorentzon for co-owners ACL Stuteri Ab and Kjell Johansson, the win was his first in two seasonal starts. The exacta paid $102.50, with the triple returning $703.
The week’s pacing feature had 17-10 choice “Phil” leave from post No. 5, steal away with a cheap (:28, :57.4) half. From there, the pursuers had no shot, with a :55.4 back portion (1:25.4, 1:53.3). The final margin was a length and three-quarters over a good effort from Melmerby Beach (Bartlett), with Texas Terror N (Matt Kakaley), Atta Boy Dan (Brennan) and Hugh Hefner N (Stratton) settling for the remainder.
For Phil Your Boots, a six-year-old Shanghai Phil gelding trained by Andrew Harris for owner Louis Frascella, he’s now two-for-three this season. The exacta (two wagering favourites) paid $12.60, the triple returning $129.50 and the superfecta paid $949.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)