A closing Guantanamo Bay (Scott Zeron, $11.80) tagged Blood Brother (Jason Bartlett) at the wire Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Away fifth from post position No. 3, Guantanamo Bay saw 2013 O'Brien Award winner Vegas Vacation (Jordan Stratton) work his way to the lead right at a :27.3 opening quarter-mile. After a :57.2 intermission, 25-1 outsider Sports Bettor (Brent Holland) made his second move, out from third.
That didn’t do much for those behind him, forcing 7-5 choice Blood Brother — who himself had been used earlier — wide by the 1:25.4 three-quarters. Meanwhile, Guantanamo Bay, from third-up, was gapping down the backside.
It was Blood Brother taking a short lead off the final turn, but he wouldn’t be able to close the sale as Guantanamo Bay rallied from fifth. That one made up more than three lengths, winning by a nose in a brisk 1:53.4. Vegas Vacation, Soto (Matt Kakaley) and a season-debuting Melmerby Beach (Tim Tetrick) rounded out the payees.
For third choice Guantanamo Bay, a five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Daniel Renaud for co-owners Brian & Ira Wallach and Leonard Sorge, the was his third in eight seasonal starts. The exacta paid $37.80, with the triple returning $183.
A three-time Saturday winner, Mark MacDonald drove millionaire pacer Lucan Hanover ($8) to a 1:53.2 victory in the $39,000 Winners Over Handicap for trainer Andrew Harris and the West Wins Stable, defeating Texican N (Stratton) and the favoured 2015 O'Brien Award winner Wakizashi Hanover (Tetrick).
Zeron also wrapped up a three-win night driving 2014 O'Brien winner McWicked ($3.60) to a matching 1:53.2 victory in a $30,000 conditioned pace. The $1.8 million earner is now two-for-two to start his six-year-old campaign for trainer Steve Elliott and owner S S G Stables.
A reminder there is racing next two Sundays (March 12 and 19), with first post each afternoon at 12:30 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)