Victors Vicky (Jordan Stratton), inching toward a half-million dollars in lifetime earnings, parlayed her assets and her assignment Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $32,000 Open Handicap Trot
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Ordered inside her seven rivals, "Vicky" retook from S F Aceinthehole (Pat Lachance) before a :28.4 opening quarter-mile. She then rated a :30.4 second stanza before Long Story Short (Tyler Buter) came on the scene.
Those two raced in tandem at the 1:29 three-quarters, with Impressive Earl (Stephane Bouchard) second-up. Long Story Short gave way gruelingly through the lane, eventually making a break. That left Victors Vicky a safe length-and-a-quarter winner in 1:59.3.
S F Aceinthehole, defending champ Beach Nut Brand (Jeff Gregory), Ripped (Greg Grismore) and Impressive Earl--moved up one placing--grabbed the small change. D Cs Piggy Bank (Jim Panteleano), the 9-5 choice going for a fourth consecutive victory, jumped it off behind the gate.
For Victors Vicky, a seven-year-old Valley Victor miss trained by Richard Johnson for owner Fabulous Farms, she returned $6.60 (second choice) her first board placement in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $35.40, with triple returning $452.50.
The co-featured $32,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace found Symphony In Motion (Gregory) adroit at both ends of her mile.
Going right to the lead from post position No. 4, she gave it up to quarter-moving 6-5 favourite Twin Oaks Tess (Jason Bartlett).
Twin Oaks Tess grabbed the advantage after a :27.2 opening fraction, then found a :57.3 intermission. However, she was powerless to stave off Perfectionist (Bouchard), who went up and over before the 1:26.1 three-quarters.
Perfectionist owned a length-and-quarter lead turning for home, but Symphony In Motion--able to get out from behind a stopping leader--was in hot pursuit. "Symphony" caught the leader in mid-stretch, widening to 2-3/4 lengths in 1:55.3, matching a season's-best. Last week's winner, Lightning Treasure (Cat Manzi), Little Mermaid N (Pantaleano) and Call Me Yours (Stratton) completed the cashers.
For Symphony in Motion, a six-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight trained by Mark Harder for co-owners Joseph Jannuzzelli and Carol Demarch, she returned $6 (second choice) for her third win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $38, the triple returned $249 and the superfecta paid $3,074.
Friday night also began the Raceway's 2010 stakes schedule, with the opening round of the Hopeful Pacing Series. Three $10,000 divisions for three-year-old fillies were won by:
- Briefly (by Make It Real); owner Upland Farm/trainer Karen Garland/driver Steve Smith; 2:00.3/$18.40;
- Rev Me Up (by Park Place); co-owners Earl Smith & Frank Baldachino/trainer Ron Burke/driver Bartlett; 1:57.4/$2.50;
- Isthmus Of Panama (by No Pan Intended); owner Peter Pan Stable/trainer-driver Ray Schnittker; (first life win) 2:02.3/$6.10.
In that first division, someone made it halfway across the bridge, as all but about $2,000 of the approximately $25,400 in the show pool was wagered on Rintintin (Bartlett). The 3-10 choice tired on the lead and broke turning for home. The resulting show prices were $37.20 (Briefly), $27.40 (O Lucky Me) and $52.50 (Shesa Bragn Dragon).
The evening started with a bang--or, more appropriately, a bomb--as Brandon Simpson took the short way home in the $16,000 pacing opener, upsetting with 54-1 Upscale Hanover ($110) in 1:55.2.
The Hopeful Series colt and gelding portion gets underway Saturday night with five $10,000 events.
(Yonkers Raceway)