Inside assignee Hypnotist and four-time Saturday night winning driver Larry Stalbaum ducked inside and picked off Silent Swing to win Yonkers Raceway's $35,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Silent Swing (Mark MacDonald), as the 11-10 choice, was the lone leaver. From post position No 3., he put up early intervals of :27.4 and :57.2. Down the backside toward the 1:25.2 three-quarters, Classic Rock Nroll (Eric Goodell) moved from third, but not without some coaxing.
Meanwhile, Silent Swing owned a length and a half lead into the lane, but could not close the sale. Hypnotist went in and went by, prevailing by a neck in 1:53. Classic Rock Nroll did get into second, with Silent Swing, Sapphire City (catch-driver Pat Lachance) and Code Word (Jason Bartlett) rounding out the payees.
For Hypnotist, an eight-year-old Astreos gelding owned and trained by Ettore Annunziata, he returned $38.40 (sixth choice) for his ninth win in 37 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $232.50, with the triple returning $593.
Yonkers' final stakes night of the season goes next Saturday night (Nov. 10) with the $415,820 Messenger Stakes (three-year-old colts/geldings)--final jewel of the pacing Triple Crown--and its companion event, the $229,440 Lady Maud Pace (three-year-old fillies). Both races are to be drawn Tuesday afternoon.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)