Yonkers Raceway's usual Friday night pair of $44,000 co-featured Open Handicaps--for distaff pacers and anyone-who’s-good-enough trotters--were won by a pair of George Brennan-driven, eight-hole assignees in Keepers Destiny ($6) and odds-on Blacktuxwhitesocks ($3.70).
It was the second Friday in succession Brennan took home both halves of the featured double.
In this week's distaff dissertation, even-money favourite Breakheart Pass (Jason Bartlett) worked around Quicksilvercandy A (Larry Stalbaum) to the lead before a :27.3 opening quarter-mile. The people's preference then found a :56.2 intermission before Keepers Destiny--who had taken a seat sixth--was on the prowl.
It had turned into a match race in and out of the 1:24 three-quarters, with Breakheart Pass owning a short schnoz lead into the lane. However, it was Keepers Destiny who just kept on keepin' on, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.2. Sir Jillian Z Tam (Pat Lachance) was third--beaten four and a half lengths--with Quicksilvercandy A and Up Front Kelli Jo (Jordan Stratton) rounding out the payees.
For second choice Keepers Destiny, a six-year-old daughter of Intrepid Seelster owned by Merlin Howse of Langton, Ontario and trained by Casie Coleman (also the co-breeders), it was her seventh win in 23 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $12, with the triple returning $53.
Blacktuxwhitesocks, who owns a share of the all-age track record (1:54.1), toyed with his rivals for a fourth consecutive victory.
He had to wait his turn early, moving past E L Rock (Eric Goodell) to the lead right at the :27.3 first interval. From there, a soft, :57-second half with Celebrity Bluechip (Bartlett) trying it first-up.
After a 1:26 three-quarters, Blacktuwhitesocks widened to two and a half lengths turning for home. He then finished his foes by that identical margin in 1:54.3. Backstreet Hanover (Brent Holland) closed inside for second, with E L Rock, Celebrity Bluechip and Big Sky Storm (Stratton) grabbing the remainder.
For Blacktuxwhitesocks, a five-year-old statebred Credit Winner gelding trained by Trond Smedshammer for owner Purple Haze Stables, it was his ninth win in 20 '12 tries (career earnings just shy over $800,000). The exacta paid $17.40, the triple returned $138.50 and the superfecta paid $827.
Special Friday recognition to Mymomsablizzard (Stalbaum, $9.30), who wired the $33,500 seventh-race trot in 1:55, a new local record for aged mares.
(Yonkers Raceway)