Down-the-road numbers Smalltownthrowdown and Bettors Fire N went down the road Saturday, Jan. 26, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $44,000 Open Handicaps.
From position four in the week’s marquee trot, Smalltownthrowdown seated Wings Of Royalty and 8-5 choice Andy Ray in behind. He set splits of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:26.3 in progress to a 1:55.3 mile. The margin was a comfy length-and-a-half over Wings of Royalty, with Andy Ray—after a second move—DWs NY Yank and Weslynn Dancer settling for the minor moolah.
For second-choice Smalltownthrowdown, a six-year-old state-bred Cash Hall gelding co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard, Bruce Soulsby, VIP Internet Stable and Yves Sarazin, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal starts. Dan Dube drove the $6.10 winner. The exacta paid $26, the triple returned $66 and the superfecta paid $273.50.
The adult-table pace saw favoured Bettors Fire N—from assigned post two—stuff Air Strike behind early, then post fractions :27.1, 57.1 and 1:25.1 heading to a 1:53.1 victory.
Air Strike tried him from the pocket, but missed a length. Third went to a ground-saving, 80-1 rank outsider Techtor Hanover, with Aston Hill Dave and Great Vintage rounding out the payees.
For Bettors Fire N, an 11-year-old Bettor’s Delight Down Under gelding co-owned by his driver, Kevin Sywyk and Frank Ranaldi, it was his first win in a pair of tries this season. Ron Cushing steered the $4.70 winner. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $16.40, the triple returned $215.50 and the superfecta paid $1,674.
(Yonkers Raceway)