Lucky Man, driven by George Brennan, prevailed from the pocket Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $32,000 Winners Over pacing feature
.
Leaving from post position No. 7, Lucky Man was in the game from the outset. He left around Nob Hill High (Brian Sears), then passed the baton to outside assignee Silent Swing (Dan Dube) just after a :26.3 opening quarter-mile. Silent Swing found a :56-second half-mile, with Four Starz Trace (Yannick Gingras)--as the 7-5 favourite--moving out from fourth.
That one couldn't quite reach the leader, as Silent Swing maintained the advantage in and out of a 1:24.4 three-quarters.
However, his stay atop the leaderboard was tenuous off the final turn. Corky Baran (Eric Goodell) came three-deep, with Lucky Man angling inside. The latter was gaining control right around the 1:52.4 mile marker. The margin was a neck, with the mile-and-one-sixteenth timed in 1:59.3. Corky Baran grabbed second, with Rojettes Best (Brent Holland)--finishing well after being well back--Silent Swing and Nob Hill High completed the payees. Four Starz Trace faded to sixth.
For Lucky Man, a six-year-old Camluck gelding owned by Tom Hill of Lancashire, Great Britain and trained by Casie Coleman, he returned $13.20 (third choice) for his third win in 21 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $131.50, with the triple returning $1,119.
Yonkers' regular five-night-per-week schedule (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) remains in effect, save for Thanksgiving Night. First post for all racing programs is 7:10 p.m. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.
(Yonkers Raceway)