Yonkers Raceway's first-of-the-season Friday night $33,000 Open Handicaps - Pace for the ladies and Trot who all knew the secret password - were won by favoured Ideal In Vegas and DWs NY Yank.
The murky distaff derby was pared to half-dozen when the bookenders - inside Sweet Hedge and outside Cocoa Beach - both came up ill. Then Ginger Spice N (Eric Goodell), who inherited the pole, jumped it off at the outset.
The remaining quintet were led by even-money Ideal In Vegas. From what became post position three, she and driver Jason Bartlett two-moved around Palm Patrol (Larry Stalbaum), then never had an anxious moment. Sub-stations of :28,2, :58.2 and 1:27.1 led to a length victory in 1:55.4. Magic Starlight (Brennan) skimmed the cones for second, with Economy Terror (Mark MacDonald), Palm Patrol and Rockaround Sue (Jordan Stratton) rounding out the payees.
For Ideal In Vegas, a five-year-old daughter of Western Ideal owned by Shore Thing Stables and trained by Anthony Mannino, her 2014 debut was her 19th career victory. She paid $4.20.
The week's marquee trot was a two-speed number, as DWs NY Yank, ordered behind the eight-ball, and driver George Brennan took over from Likeabatoutahell (Sears) before the :28.2 opening quarter-mile. A 1:00.4 middle half (:59.2, 1:29.1) and no outer flow gave him a solid lead into the lane.
Likeabatoutahell took his shot diving inside, but missed a head in 1:58.1. Zooming (Tyler Buter) rallied for a non-threatening third as the slight 3-1 choice, with War Cry Hall (Bartlett) and Lorenzo Dream (Goodell) completed the cashers. Super Manning (Matt Kakaley) broke early as the second choice.
For fourth choice DWs NY Yank, a five-year-old Dilbert Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing Stable LLC) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Howard Taylor, he went right past $300,000 in career earnings with this '14 first-out victory. He paid $9.50.
(Yonkers Raceway)