Yannick Gingras swept both halves of Yonkers Raceway's $36,000 co-features Friday night, winning the Open Handicap Trot with Self Professed and the Filly & Mare Open Pace with Fleur De Lil A
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The blind draw gave 20-1 shot Fleur De Lil A the worst post, but Gingras extricated himself from the eight-hole early. He and his charge left hard, getting the lead from pole-sitting 2-1 favourite Elusive Prey (Stephane Bouchard) before a :27.4 opening quarter-mile. "Lil" found a :58-second intermission and 1:26.4 three-quarters, with Ladycino (Jason Bartlett) offering minimal, first-up pressure.
Fleur De Lil A owned a length-and-a-quarter lead into the lane before hitting a line a length to the good in 1:56.3. Hally (Jordan Stratton) won the scrum for second, with Nidya A (George Brennan), Ramona Disomma (Greg Grismore) and Hannah Isabel (Pat Lachance) completing the cashers.
For Fleur De Lil A, a six-year-old Down Under Armbro Operative mare owned by Luke McCarthy and trained by Noel Daley, she returned $43 (seventh choice) for her fifth win in 26 '09 tries. The exacta paid $475, with the triple returning $2,970.
The week's marquee trot went from a field of eight officially down to seven (one scratch), then effectively down to four (three breakers).
Winnin Image (Grismore), as the slight 5-2 choice, led through weigh stations of :28.2, :59.3 and 1:28.3. Self Professed, leaving from post position No. 2 after the defection, sat pocketed. Batalj Launcher (Bartlett) left for a seat, then moved from third, while Tell Me A Story (Cat Manzi) tracked from a loose second-over.
Winnin Image clung to a short lead turning for home, but Self Professed wore him down with the short route. He won by a neck in 1:59, with Batalj Launcher holding third. Tell Me a Story and Lavec Dream (Brennan)--one of the early missteppers--grabbed the small change.
For Self Professed, a seven-year-old Self Possessed gelding trained by Mark Ford for owner Martin Scharf, he returned $14.40 (fifth choice) for his fifth win in 23 seasonal starts The exacta paid $44.40, with the triple returning $143.
(Yonkers Raceway)