Fox Valley Sage, driven by Jordan Stratton, went from uninvolved to unstoppable Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $42,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace
.
Leaving from post position No. 4, Fox Valley Sage watched the early doings, of which there were many. Pole-sitter McFlirty (Dan Dube) was in play, as were Western Graduate (Jason Bartlett), Breakheart Pass (Jim Pantaleano) and Billmar Scooter (Eric Goodell). A three-deep Breakheart Pass made the lead right at the :26.4 opening quarter, looping, then parking, Western Graduate.
Breakheart Pass found a :55.2 half, with Western Graduate hung and Billmar Scooter--out every step--about to catch up to that one.
By the 1:24.3 three-quarters, Western Graduate was done and Billmar Scooter was now engaging Breakheart Pass, with 2-1 choice Pancleefandarpels (Cat Manzi) wide around that one. All the while, Fox Valley Sage was sequestered in seventh on the cones.
Billmar Scooter forged a short lead turning for home, but the trip was about to take its toll. The crowd was converging around the 1:53.4 mile, with an extricated Fox Valley Sage joining the fray. That one was the strong one, closing on the outside to win going away. The margin was a length-and-a-quarter, with the mile-and-one-sixteenth going in 2:01.
Pancleefandarpels was second, with Shacked Up (Pat Lachance)--last at the three-quarters--Quicksilvercandy A (Larry Stalbaum) and Billmar Scooter completing the cashers.
For Fox Valley Sage, a seven-year-old daughter of Richess Hanover owned by Stephen Farrell Jr. and trained by Ralph Andersen, she returned $13.80 (fifth choice) for her seventh win in 32 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $72, with the triple returning $471.
Friday night's $42,000 Open Handicap Trot saw Hurrikanebiggeorge, driven by Dan Dube, rough it first-up.
Leaving from the pylons, "Biggeorge" moved from fourth after eight-hole assignee Looking Hanover (Bartlett) put up early intervals of :28.1 and :58.2.
Looking Hanover maintained the advantage in and out of a 1:27.3 three-quarters, taking a length lead into the lane. However, he was about to be collared around the 1:56.4 mile marker, with Hurrikanebiggeorge edging past by a half-length in an added-distance 2:04.2. Looking Hanover held second, with Political Desire (Stratton), KLM Express (Jim Marshall III) and Grain Of Truth (Manzi) grabbed the minor awards. Slight 5-2 choice Second Hand News (Brent Holland) was a wide-to-nowhere seventh.
For Hurrikanebiggeorge, a five-year-old Tagliabue gelding trained by John McDermott for owner Hurrikane Racing LLC, he returned $8.90 (third choice) for his fifth win in 31 '11 tries. The exacta paid $39, the triple returned $523 and the superfecta paid $1,636.
Friday night accolades to Marshall, whose fifth-race victory with Special Command move him within three wins of 3,000 for his career.
Yonkers Raceway's third annual Fall Harvest Festival is set for Saturday night, featuring a track apron-ful of fun, family activities and a track full of politicians who sense victory.
The third installment of the Legislators' Challenge offers 16 New York State elected officials competing in four exhibition races, beginning at 6 p.m. Each race has four members of either the state senate or assembly driving, with some occasional assistance from Yonkers Raceway's trained professionals who do this for a living.
The Fall Harvest Festival, which runs from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., showcases the thriving relationship between horse racing and agriculture in New York State. Activities include pony rides, a pie-eating contest, a petting zoo, pumpkin and face painting and musical entertainment, along with New York-made product sampling. There is also a free pinecone-scented candle giveaway for Empire Club members, and drawings for ten $50 betting vouchers, courtesy of Blue Chip Farms.
(Yonkers Raceway)