Red Hot Herbie (Dan Dube, $31.40) engineered the upset Sunday afternoon (late morning), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,400 Open Handicap Trot.
Assigned post position No. 7 in the 10-horse, mile-and-a-quarter medley, “Herbie” was put in play early. He made the first lead before yielding to 9-10 favourite Luminosity (George Brennan) as the gang moved past the :28.1 opening quarter-mile and into Turn 2.
Luminosity then hit the brake, as in a :57.2 half and 1:27.4 three-quarters. That figured to be enough, but not today. Sumatra (Jordan Stratton) moved from fifth, with last week’s winner, Dot Dot Dot Dash (Matt Kakaley), behind that one.
Despite the "cheapy" fractions, Luminosity was about done. He did maintain the lead in and out of the 1:57.1 mile post, but Sumatra had displaced him entering the lane. Dot Dot Dot Dash went wide, but Red Hot Herbie was carried where he needed to go.
“Herbie” ducked inside, whipping a wide Dot Dot Dot Dash by a head in an added-distance 2:26.4. Sumatra held very well for third, with Auspicious Hanover (Brian Sears) and Tweet Me (Pat Lachance) rounding out the payees. Luminosity tired to a no-excuse sixth.
For fifth choice Red Hot Herbie, a five-year-old Here Comes Herbie gelding trained by Rene Allard and owned by Allard Racing, Albert Abdala III, Bruce Soulsby and Michael Reppucci, the win was his 11th in 28 seasonal starts (three wins in his last four tries). The exacta paid $197.50, with the triple returning $1,580.
Sunday props to Allard and Sears, who four races each (including a pair in tandem).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)