Yonkers Raceway’s 2014 season concluded with the sixth Sunday matinee. After a one-week hiatus, the French theme returned, with the first five races —- all trots and all exported —- featuring over-sized fields and the mile-and-one-quarter distance.
The European handle for the quintet was just over $1.2 million, making the five-week (25-race) total approximately 6 million Euros (more than 7.5 million U.S. dollars).
The featured $46,000 Open Handicap Trot saw favoured DWs NY Yank (George Brennan, $3.90) easily handle his rivals, overcoming an eight-hole assignment in 2:26.3. The margin was 3-3/4 lengths over Backstreet Hanover (Tyler Buter), with Sevruga (Andy Miller) third.
For “DW,” a five-year-old Dilbert Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Howard Taylor, it was his 13th win in 32 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $50, with the triple returning $142.
Yonkers' 2015 live harness racing schedule (along with the return of evening simulcasting) is set to begin Friday, Jan. 9, pending approval of the New York State Gaming Commission. Afternoon simulcasting continues through Monday, then resumes Friday, Dec. 26, after the conclusion of NYRA’s holiday respite.
(Yonkers)