Twas a pair of Yonkers Raceway $35,000 Preferred Handicaps highlighting the Saturday night (Nov. 23) soiree.
Stormy Kromer edged past Will Take Charge in the week’s marquee trot, snapping that one in a season’s-best 1:54. The latter retook from the eventual winner, throwing down subsections of :27.3, :57 and 1:25.2 while Top Flight Angel offered a weak, first-up bid.
Will Take Charge owned a length-and-a-half lead into the lane, but was unable to close the sale for the second week in a row. Stormy Kromer—from post position 5—eased out and by, the margin a neck. Lean Hanover was a best-of-the-rest third, with Swansea and 17-10 choice Meladys Monet settling for the small change.
For sixth-choice Stormy Kromer, a five-year-old Dejarmbro gelding owned by Tom Ceraso Jr. and trained by Paul Stafford, it was his eighth win in 35 seasonal starts. Brent Holland drove the $36.80 winner. The exacta paid $123.50, the triple returned $1,193 and the superfecta paid $13,076 (base $2 payout).
The weekly adult-table pace saw odds-on fave Jacks Legend N get the memo just in time.
Assigned outside his five rivals, Jacks Legend N floated from the gate, but landed only fifth as The Wall rolled intervals of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:24. That one had a length-and-a-half lead in and out of the final turn, with San Domino A pocketed and The Real One pacing in place first over from third.
All the while Jacks Legend N lagged to catch his tow, then went wide. The Wall fought the good fight, but the people’s preference did get there, winning by a half-length in a life-best 1:51.2. The Real One, San Domino A and invading Tookadiveoffdipper picked off the remainder.
For Jacks Legend N, a five-year-old Down Under Bettors Delight gelding co-owned by (trainer) Richard Banca, Barbara & James Boese, it was his sixth win in 10 tries this season. Jason Bartlett drove the $3.00 winner. The exacta paid $11.60, the triple returned $31.40 and the superfecta paid $51.
Special Saturday props to venerable vets Somewhere in L A and Bit of a Legend N, who were a nose apart in the $22,000, 11th-race pace (1:52.1). That was a now 44-time winner ($1,799,046) just holding off a 53-time winner ($2,562,871) with a combined 328 career starts.
(Yonkers Raceway)