Yonkers Raceway’s $35,000 featured Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace was won by odds-on favourite Venus Delight (Jason Bartlett, $3.70).
Assigned outside her six foes, Venus Delight, a stone closer who had run out of racetrack in her last couple, showed some rare early foot. She left into a four-hole as Robin Cruiser (Jordan Stratton) worked around Scandalous Hanover (Brian Sears).
Cheapy early fractions (:28, :58.2) did not figure to help “Venus,” as she began her second move with Campanile (Tyler Buter) second-up.
Robin Cruiser maintained her lead in and out of the 1:26.3 three-quarters, up a half-length turning for home. In what turned out to a match race through the lane, Venus Delight stuck her tongue out on the money, whipping “Robin” by a nose in 1:54.4. Campanile, Scandalous Hanover and Southwind Trini (Jim Marohn Jr.) completed the cashers.
For Venus Delight, a four-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight owned by Bamond Racing and trained by PJ Fraley, it was her seventh win in 25 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $11.60, with the triple returning $30.60.
(Yonkers Raceway)