Dan Dube (that's right, him again) shamelessly hogged Yonkers Raceway's Saturday night glory with Michaels Power ($6.80) and eight-hole assigned Not Afraid ($3).
Michaels Power won the $35,000 Open Pace in 1:53.4. Making the first lead from post position No. 4, he gave it up to 13-10 favourite Dapper Dude (Brian Sears). That one led through intervals of :28.4, :57.3 and 1:26.1.
In a rare event where all eight starters were off three weeks (weather), Dapper Dude owned and a length and a half lead into the lane. However, company was coming to his immediate inside. Ducking to the passing lane was Michaels Power, who went by a stubborn leader late. The final margin was a head, with third going to a cone-skimming Sapphire City (Eric Carlson). Machs Beach Boy and McErlean (Tyler Buter) settling for the remainder.
For second choice Michaels Power, a homebred six-year-old Camluck gelding owned and bred by Jeff Snyder and trained by Mark Silva, it was his third win in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $16.60, with the triple returning $75.
The weekly marquee trot, handicapped in all eight starting venues and with a similar $35,000 pot, saw a predictable result. Apparently, they can't widen the starting gate to create enough of an impost for Not Afraid.
Settling in an early sixth, the 1-2 choice saw Awesome Valley (George Brennan) take his shot (:28.2, :58.4) before Not Afraid took up the chase. The two were engaged in and out of a 1:27.2 three-quarters.
Not Afraid eventually dismissed his rival off the final turn, then widened to win by a length and a half in 1:56. Super Manning (Matt Kakaley) and Backstreet Hanover (Buter) showed up late to grab second and third, respectively, with Awesome Valley and Murmur Hanover (Pat Lachance) grabbing the final pay envelopes.
For Not Afraid, a six-year-old SJs Caviar gelding trained by Jimmy Takter for for his wife Christina, John Fielding and Goran Anderberg, it was his third consecutive win and fifth in seven '15 tries. The exacta paid $13.80, with the triple returning $38.60.
(Yonkers Raceway)