Something For Doc, driven by Matt Kakaley, finished what he started Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $35,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Assigned penultimate post position No. 7, 'Doc'--as is his custom--had his nose on gate. He made the lead around locally-debuting Intheblinkofaneye (Jason Bartlett) right after a :27.3 opening quarter-mile.
A rated :29-second next quarter (:56.3 half) served Something For Doc well as slight 2-1 choice Roadway (George Brennan)--making his Open Handicap bow--took up the chase.
It turned into a match race by the 1:24.2 three-quarters, with Intheblinkofaneye tiring in the pocket and nothing hanging with Roadway in the outer tier.
Something For Doc owned a length and a half lead into the lane, then edged away from a pesky Roadway by two and three-quarter lengths. The 1:52.3 effort matched the fastest local mile of 2013. Here We Go Again (Eric Goodell), Silent Swing (Mark MacDonald) and Intheblinkofaneye rounded out the payees.
For Something For Doc, a five-year-old Western Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Strollin Stable, he returned $16.20 (fifth choice) for his second win three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $59, with the triple returning $436.
Saturday's feature was one of four consecutive victories by Kakaley, the last three of which were trained by Burke. Jack Franklin also trained three winners on the 12-race card.
(Yonkers Raceway)