Keepers Destiny, snapped on the money in her U.S. debut a week ago, had no such issues Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $33,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace
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Leaving from post position No. 5, the 11-10 choice and driver Eric Goodell worked around pole-assigned Arctic Fire N (James Rattray) before a soggy :28.1 opening quarter-mile.
Keepers Destiny then found a :57.4 intermission before Cuz She Can (George Brennan) thought about moving from fourth. She quickly went back in, while Pancleefandarpels (Jim Pantaleano) then tried it from the three-hole.
That one made only minimal gains going in and out of the 1:25.4 three-quarters, with Keepers Destiny owning a length-and-three-quarter lead into the lane. She easily held Arctic Fire N at bay, winning by two and three-quarter lengths in 1:54. "Pancleef" held third, with Fox Valley Sage (Cat Manzi) and Cuz She Can completing the cashers.
Keepers Destiny, a six-year-old daughter of Intrepid Seelster co-owned by trainer Casie Coleman and Merlin Howse (also the co-breeders) returned $4.30 for her second win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $22.80, with the triple returning $65.
Friday night's co-featured $33,000 Open Trot saw 13-10 favourite Ringside Lauryn and Brennan hold off Pembroke Prayer (Mark MacDonald) in 1:58.
Those two were sitting second and third, respectively, behind Celebrity Bluechip (Bartlett). That one won the draw and won the early fractions, as in :28.3 and :59.1. However, she was done when Definitely Mamie (Jeff Gregory) visited right before the 1:27.4 three-quarters.
After "Mamie" had made the lead, both Ringside Lauryn and Pembroke Prayer extricated themselves from the pylons. "Lauryn" was able to get first "run," going by a tiring "Mamie" before fending Pembroke Prayer by three-quarters of a length. Tasty Max (Goodell), Farifant (Tyler Buyter) and H And Ms Hit (Jordan Stratton) rounded out the payees.
Ringside Lauryn, a six-year-old daughter of Dream Vacation co-owned by trainer Lou Pena and Mark Karam, returned $4.60 for her fourth win in six '12 tries. The exacta paid $25.20, the triple returned $158.50 and the superfecta paid $1,246.
(Yonkers Raceway)