Gold Cup & Saucer champion Eighteen, driven by Mark MacDonald, finished what he started Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's final-card-of-the-season $28,000 Winners Over Pace.
Leaving from post position No. 4, Eighteen worked around pole-sitting Bettor Design (Jason Bartlett), throwing down the gauntlet to the tune of a windy :27.3 opening quarter-mile. From there, a :57.2 intermission before Fox Valley Tribal (Brian Sears) tried it out of fourth. That one was latched by Here We Go Again (Yannick Gingras) going toward a 1:25.2 three-quarters.
But Eighteen owned a length and a half lead into the lane. Bettor Design tired in the pocket, Fox Valley Tribal tired first-up and Here We Go Again couldn't reach. Thus, Eighteen prevailed by a length and a quarter in 1:54.2. Fox Valley Tribal, Bettor Design and Iwannarace Hanover (Jordan Stratton) rounded out the payees, with Iwannarace Hanover a non-factor as the slight 5-2 choice.
For Eighteen, a four-year-old son of Cams Card Shark owned by James Snyder and trained by Mark Ford, he returned $9.40 (third choice) for his eighth win in 31 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $47, the triple paid $230.50 and the superfecta returned $443.50.
The Raceway begins its 2013 season on Friday, Jan, 11, continuing its customary Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday schedule, with first post at 7:10 p.m. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule (which resumes Wednesday).
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)