Jordan Stratton took down both halves of Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $42,000 Open Handicaps Saturday night (Dec. 7), doing so with Will Take Charge and big-table-debuting Raukapuka Ruler N.
It was odds-on Will Take Charge who killed ‘em softly—fractions wise—in the week’s marque trot. Winning the post positions 5-thru-7 draw, he left, working around Winning Shadow right around the :28 opening quarter. After a :57.2 intermission, the returning Obrigado surprised by moving first-up from fourth.
A :30 third quarter (1:27.2) allowed Obrigado to hang around before slowing. Meanwhile Will Take Charge, who had faltered late in his past two tries, owned a length-and-a-half lead into the lane. He defeated a Lean Hanover by that exact margin in 1:56.1 with a closing Swansea, Winning Shadow and Sumatra settling for the remainder.
For millionaire Will Take Charge, a six-year-old Kadabra gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Gillis, Mac Nichol and Gerald Stay, it was his sixth win in 23 starts this season. He paid $2.90 to win. The exacta paid $40, the triple returned $217 and the superfecta paid $704.
The weekly adult pace saw Raukapuka Ruler N—from post 3—finish what he started (:28.1, :56.3, 1:23.2, life-best-matching 1:52.3). He repelled first-up Heavens Gait up the backside, then owned a length-and-a-half lead in and out of the final turn. Saying Grace N, the 17-10 favourite who angled from the pocket, made up some ground but missed a length. A late-arriving The Real One was third with Macs Jackpot and Sunfire Blue Chip grabbing the minors.
For second-choice Raukapuka Ruler N, a six-year-old Down Under Bettors Delight gelding owned by (trainer) Peter Tritton, it was his fifth win in 11 tries this year. He paid $6.80 to win. The exacta paid $23.60, the triple returned $253.50 and the superfecta paid $1,106.
(Yonkers Raceway)