Lone lass Dot Dot Dot Dash (Matt Kakaley, $24.20) engineered the 11-1 upset Sunday afternoon, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Open Handicap Trot.
Assigned post position No. 6 in the mile-and-a-quarter medley, Dot Dot Dot Dash lagged last in the early going as lone three-year-old French Laundry (Dan Dube) two-moved to the lead (:29.2, :59.2). Red Hot Herbie (Brian Sears) was patrolling the pocket when 3-2 choice Luminosity (George Brennan) moved...in a hurry.
Luminosity engaged French Laundry in and out of both a 1:29.2 three-quarters and 1:57.1 mile post (:27.4 fourth quarter). Meanwhile, Dot Dot Dot Dash had loosely tracked the move of the favourite before ducking in a three-hole for a breather.
It was Luminosity owning a short lead in and out of the final turn, but pre-Thanksgiving company was coming. A refreshed Dot Dot Dot Dash left the cones, angled widest and went by. She defeated a ground-saving Sumatra (Jordan Stratton) by a length and a half in 2:27.1. Red Hot Herbie, Luminosity and Theresademoninme (Andy Miller) completed the cashers.
For fifth choice Dot Dot Dot Dash, a five-year-old daughter of Classic Photo owned by William Vandervort Jr. and trained by Shae Vandervort, the win was her seventh in 23 seasonal tries. The exacta paid $142, with the triple returning $1,673.
Note that since no one took down the Sunday Pick 5, Monday’s gimmick, which already has a $10,000 guaranteed pool, begins with a carryover of $2,649.08 (50-cent base wager, races seven through 11, program pages at yonkersraceway.com).
Also, Sunday props to driver Mark MacDonald, who won four races during the dozen-race card.
(Yonkers Raceway)