Off-the-pace entities Bit Of A Legend N and DWs NY Yank prevailed Saturday, Oct. 6, annexing Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $44,000 Open Handicaps.
Odds-on Bit Of A Legend N survived a back-half battle with Great Vintage in the week’s marquee pace, putting that one away late in 1:51.1. Away third from post-position four, he saw that foe lead through early intervals of :26.4 and :55.4.
First-over Bit Of A Legend N hooked Great Vintage in and out of a 1:23 three-quarters. Bit Of A Legend N edged away in the late lane, the margin a half-length. American Boy N was third, with Mach It So and Theartofconfusion A picking off the remainder.
For Bit Of A Legend N, a nine-year-old Down Under son of Bettors Delight owned by Von Knoblauch Stables and trained by Peter Tritton, it was his fifth win in 19 seasonal starts (career 46-for-138). Driven by Jordan Stratton, he paid $3.60 to win. The exacta paid $19.60, the triple returned $56.50 and the superfecta paid $352.50.
The week’s featured trot saw pole-assigned DWs NY Yank go wide down the backside around an out-the-mile NF Happenstance. Everyone chased Gruden, who was parked past a :27.2 opening quarter-mile, then pressured through a :55.4 intermission and 1:25 three-quarters.
Gruden was done soon thereafter with NF Happenstance and DWs NY Yank both going by. The latter then finished it off, whipping a belated 3-4 fave Yes Mickey by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.1. Andy Ray was third as the 36-1 outsider with a tough-trip NF Happenstance and an unlucky Top Flight Angel settling for the remainder.
For third choice DWs NY Yank, a nine-year-old Dilbert Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke and Weaver Bruscemi, it was his fifth in 20 tries this season (career 51-for-173). Driven by George Brennan, he paid $12.40 to win. The exacta paid $43, the triple returned $305 and the superfecta paid $1,639.
(Yonkers Raceway)