In-form Dave Aint Here (Jim Pantaleano) stole some soft Saturday night fractions and held sway, winning Yonkers Raceway's $32,000 Open Handicap Pace. It was his third consecutive victory in the Saturday feature
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`"Dave," in play early from post position No. 5, left around pole-sitting Southwind Tabor (Greg Merton) and took no pressure and no prisoners.
After a :28-second opening quarter-mile, Dave Aint Here meandered through a :31-second next weigh station.
Next Adventure (Billy Dobson) tried it first-up, prompting a :28.1 third quarter before giving way. Dave Aint Here owned a length-and-half lead entering the lane.
Turning for home, it was a match-race between pace-setter and pocket-sitter, with "Dave" winning by a head in 1:55.3 Winbak Fox (Jeff Gregory), Dan Carter (Greg Grismore) and Next Adventure came away with the minor moolah. Western Shore (Jason Bartlett), the 4-5 favourite, aborted a leave and offered nothing from third-over.
For Dave Aint Here, a nine-year-old Blissfull Hall gelding owned and trained by Ettore Annunziata, he paid $11.20 (third choice) for his fourth win in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $30, with the triple returning $98.
(Yonkers Raceway)