A start-to-finish NF Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr., $14) just lasted on Sunday afternoon (January 28) at Yonkers Raceway, as she won the $50,000 Open Handicap Trot over ‘sloppy’ going.
A field of 11 served as the first of six ‘French’ trots. There were many early ‘misbehavers,’ including the public’s 2-1 choice, Money Maven (driven by Yannick Gingras), one of the second-tier starters.
There was no such happenstance for lone lass NF Happenstance. From Post 2, the Delaware invader led at every pylon (:29.2, :59.2, 1:28.4, 1:57.1). She opened had opened up by two and three-quarter lengths entering the lane before going on to win by a neck in 2:28.
Jack Parker Jr. pictured high-lining NF Happenstance (2) to victory at Yonkers Raceway on Sunday, January 28, 2018 (Mike Lizzi Photo)
‘Eight-holer’ Meladys Monet (Jason Bartlett) put forth a solid, two-move effort and charged late and barely missed. Third went to Moneycounts De Vie (Matt Kakaley), while Rubber Duck (Joe Bongiorno) and Lilys Swan Pond (Brent Holland) settled for the remainder.
It was Parker’s first win at Yonkers since August, 2002, and the first time he had driven the mare locally since Independence Night of 2014.
For third choice NF Happenstance – an eight-year-old daughter of SJs Caviar owned by James Moore III and trained by Carol Jamieson-Parker – it was her fourth win in as many seasonal starts. The exacta paid $76 and ‘the triple’ returned $1,111.
Sunday’s ‘New York, New York Double’ offered a winning combination of 3-Factoring (Aqueduct’s third race) and 3-Gonna Fly (Yonkers’ sixth race) paid $140.75 for every correct $1 wager. Total pool was $8,302.
Sunday matinees will return on February 25 (post time to be announced).
(Yonkers Raceway)