Lightning Treasure, driven by Dan Dube, made it look simple from the eight-hole Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $38,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace
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In play early, Lightning Treasure moved around Quicksilvercandy A (Larry Stalbaum) before a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. She then stole a :30.2 second quarter (:57.3 half), forcing first-up, 4-5 fave Pancleefandarpels (George Brennan) to chase.
After a 1:26 three-quarters, Lightning Treasure opened a 2-3/4 length lead turning for home. She found a 1:53.4 mile marker, and was never threatened in 2:01 for the mile-and-one-sixteenth. Pancleefandarpels was a best-of-the-rest second--beaten 3-1/4 lengths--with Best Boss (Pat Lachance), Summer Snow (Jordan Stratton) and Ramona Disomma (Jason Bartlett) grabbing the remainder of the paycheques.
For Lightning Treasure, a six-year-old daughter of Western Ideal trained by Keith Armer for Lightning Stable, she returned $18.80 (fifth choice) for her eighth win (second consecutive) in 28 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $40.60, with the triple returning $226.
Friday night’s co-featured $38,000 Open Handicap Trot was a two-speed, form number with 6-5 favourite Gurf, driven by Yannick Gingras, holding off second choice KLM Express (Jim Marshall III) in an added-distance 2:04.
Leaving from post position No. 4, Gurf reclaimed from his rival right at the :28.2 opening quarter. He then found a soft :58.2 half and 1:27.4 three-quarters, with longshot Reigning Dough (Jim Doherty) moving weakly first-over. Entering the lane, Gurf--after a 1:56.3 mile--needed to only hold off KLM Express. The former, kept to his task, beat the latter by a half-length.
Hurrikanebiggeorge (Dube), Libra Vita (Brennan) and Rose Run Hooligan (Stratton) picked off the small change.
For the formful Gurf, a six-year-old Self Possessed gelding owned by David Neilson and trained by Rosemary Smutz, he returned $4.40 for his ninth win (three in a row) in 38 '11 tries. The exacta paid $15.60, the triple returned $64.50 and the superfecta paid $219.50.
Roll With Joe, the richest harness horse in North America this season, is the 3-5 morning line favourite from post position No. 3 for Saturday night's 56th edition of the Messenger Stakes.
The final leg of the Pacing Triple Crown, worth $401,000 goes as the sixth race (post time approximately 8:50 p.m.).
Here is a look at the field for the Messenger, in post position order with morning-line odds:
1. Sea Venture (Bartlett, 10-1)
2. Mojo Terror (Brian Sears, 5-1)
3. Roll With Joe (Ron Pierce, 3-5)
4. Sir Ziggys Tam (Lachance, 8-1)
5. Keystone Velocity (Dube, 30-1)
6. Rollwithitharry (Jim Morrill Jr., 15-1)
The companion event to the Messenger, the $194,890 Lady Maud Pace for three-year-old fillies, goes a four-horse, non-bettor at 6 p.m. Here is the field in post position order:
1. Krispy Apple (Morrill Jr.)
2. Rocklamation (Sears)
3. City Delight (Bartlett)
4. New Album (Pierce)
(Yonkers Raceway)