Millionairess-in-waiting Symphony In Motion stuck her tongue out at the right time Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $38,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace with driver Jason Bartlett in tow
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In play from post position five, she made the first lead, then surrendered to Breakheart Pass (Yannick Gingras) before a :26.3 opening quarter-mile. As the ladies approached the :56.3 half, Tomorrowpan (Jim Pantaleano) moved strongly from fifth, grabbing the lead. She maintained it in and out of the 1:24.3 three-quarters, with Symphony In Motion sliding from third.
However, Tomorrowpan was about to give up the ghost, assaulted from both sides. Breakheart Pass ducked inside, while both Symphony In Motion and a late-arriving Fox Valley Sage (Jordan Stratton) were outside. It was a wild scramble passing the 1:52.4 mile marker, with Symphony In Motion winning the blanket photo. She prevailed by head over Breakheart Pass, getting the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 2:00.1.
Fox Valley Sage was third - beaten a head as the slight 2-1 choice - with Boots Place (Brian Sears) and Lightning Treasure (Dan Dube) rounding out the payees.
For Symphony In Motion, a seven-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight co-owned by (breeder) Joseph Jannuzzelli and Carol Demarch, she returned $13.20 (fourth choice) for her eighth win (third in a row) in 36 seasonal starts. The victress now has lifetime earnings of more than $985,000.
Friday night's co-featured $38,000 Open Trot saw Son Of Nordic win both the draw and the race.
Away third from the pole, Son of Nordic and driver Eric Goodell watched as Keenan (Jeff Gregory) set sail through speedy intervals of :27.4, :57 and 1:25.4. Neighsay Hanover (Ray Schnittker) - like Symphony in Motion a seven-figure performer in waiting - chased from a loose pocket, with Son Of Nordic taking out of third. That one collared the leader early in the final turn, with Fools Revenue (Sears) as the only threat. After a 1:55.1 mile, Son Of Nordic held sway by a neck in an added-distance 2:02.3.
Tepid 3-1 fave Twin B Caviar (George Brennan), Pembroke Prayer (Bartlett) and Neighsay Hanover came away with the remainder.
For Son Of Nordic, a six-year-old Keystone Nordic gelding trained by Doug Noland for LRL Racing, he returned $17 (sixth choice) for his seventh win in 19 tries this season.
(Yonkers Raceway)