Race favourite Legal Litigator lasted on the lead to capture his second consecutive edition $32,000 Open Handicap at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday, and it turned out to be one of five trips to the winner’s circle for driver Cat Manzi
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Ordered outside his six rivals, Legal Litigator was wide early, taking the lead from Lindys Bandit after a 27-second opening quarter-mile. He then rolled by a 55-second intermission and 1:23.2 three-quarters. Jo Pas Wild Card tried it first-up, while Lindys Bandit was bottoming out of the pocket.
All the while, Legal Litigator widened to three lengths turning for home, and he needed most of that. Southwind Tabor, next-to-last early, rallied but missed by a nose. Legal Litigator prevailed in 1:53.1, a tick slower than last week but good enough here. Digital Z Tam rounded out the top three finishers.
For Legal Litigator, a five-year-old Camluck gelding owned by Bob Hamather and trained by Casie Coleman, he returned $4.60 for his second win in three seasonal starts.
The win in the feature was one of five wins on the program for Hall-of-Famer Cat Manzi. The veteran from Freehold, NJ has sat behind more than 13,000 winners to date and has banked more than $1 million in earnings in each of the last 24 seasons.
(Yonkers Raceway)