Favoured Swansea (Austin Siegelman, $4.30) was left to his own devices Saturday night (Jan. 18), and went on to easily triumph in Yonkers Raceway’s 'sloppy' $40,000 Open Handicap Trot.
From assigned post-position 5, Swansea found himself as the only leaver. With no issues, he worked around pole-sitting Mostinterestingman before a :28.4 opening quarter-mile. From there, a :58.4 intermission before sharp interloper Nows The Moment moved from third.
The invader was quite good this night, but Swansea had too many things (cheap lead, comfy teletimer) working to his advantage. After a 1:27.2 three-quarters, he had two lengths in and out of the final turn.
Swansea closed the sale, handily widening to three-and-a-half lengths in 1:56.3. Nows The Moment served notice holding second, with Yes, Lean Hanover and Will Take Charge settling for the small change after never factoring. Mostinterestingman backpedaled to sixth.
For Swansea, a now-five-year-old Swan for All gelding co-owned by Triple D Stables & Dana Parham and trained by Scott DiDomenico, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal starts (career 21-for-47). The exacta paid $28, with the triple returning $78.50.
Special Saturday props to season-debuting Ostro Hanover (Dan Dube, $8.70), wiring his foes in the $35,000 Preferred Handicap Pace (1:54). Also, the venerable 11-year-old gelding Melady’s Monet (Brennan, $3) made it 62-for-203 with his 1:55.2 win in the $27,000, second-race trot.
(Yonkers Raceway)