Imprincessgemma A (Joe Bongiorno, $6.20) was both widest and fastest Friday night (Feb. 14), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
Sandy Win (Eric Goodell) fronted the fray, doing so through early intervals of :27.1 and :56.3. Robyn Camden (Jim Marohn Jr.), who had left into a three-hole as the 19-10 favourite, made a second move to go after the leader. Western New York standout HP Sissy (Dan Dube) tried to match strides with ‘Robyn,” but gapped.
It was Sandy Win maintaining her advantage in and out of a 1:25 three-quarters. Meanwhile, Imprincessgemma A, away last from outside her five (after a scratch) rivals, was saving ground by the pylons and slipping out down the backside right behind Betterb Chevron N (Jordan Stratton).
Shady Win owned a length lead off the final turn, but was about to get swallowed up. ‘Gemma,’ fifth entering the lane, launched past everyone. She widened to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4. Shady Win did hold off the rest to save second, with Robyn Camden and Betterb Chevron N inseparable for third.
Wishy Washy Girl (Brent Holland) picked off the final pay envelope, while ‘Sissy’ backpedaled to last among the half-dozen in a rare poor effort.
For season-debuting third choice Imprincessgemma A, a six-year-old Down Under daughter of Village Jolt co-owned by her chauffeur, trainer Jennifer Bongiorno, Steve Manzi and Wish Me Luck Stables, she entered off an eight-win, $100,000 season in 2019. The exacta paid $19.80, the triples returned $34.20 (Betterb Chevron N third) and $23.40 (Robyn Camden third) and the superfectas paid $60 (Betterb Chevron N third) and $49.60 (Robyn Camden third).
A friendly reminder from Yonkers Raceway that Saturday evening’s Pick 5 wager starts with a carryover of $3,899.15 and a $15,000 guaranteed pool. The guarantee has been approved by the New York State Gaming Commission and is conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program.
The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager comprising races five through nine on Saturday night. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Friday night), the entire pool (minus takeout) moves to the next racing program.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)