Brent Holland, Call Me Yours and Winnin Image engaged in March Marquee Madness as stars of Yonkers Raceway's Friday night fare
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Holland won the 4,000th race of his career guiding Bet To Win to victory lane in the evening's $27,000 Preferred Trot. The six-year-old Credit Winner gelding, who owns the fastest local trot mile of the season (1:55.3), negotiated tonight's terrain in 1:57 as the favourite.
As for Holland, he comes off the two best seasons of his career, setting personal highs in both victories (447 in 2008) in earnings ($3.6 million in purses in '09). It was in the latter portion of 2008 that Holland - along with trainer Paul Blumenfeld - made the move from Chicago to the metropolitan area. Holland currently ranks fifth in the 2010 Yonkers standings.
"I'm happy I made the move east," he said. "It's a bit more intense here, but I'm finding my way like a green three-year-old."
Holland, 38, and a native of Wilmington, Ohio, began working with horses for a neighbour, Maynard Hagemeyer.
"He and Bob Farrington in Chicago both taught me a lot," Holland said. "When I won my first, I used to look up to all the great driver and never thought about a number like 4,000. You just go out and try to do your best."
His first winner came in his first pari-mutuel start as an 18-year-old with longshot E Cs Best in 1989 at Lebanon Raceway. Holland, who has more than $32.6 million in purses, was joined by his wife, Dee, for a winner's circle presentation.
In the weekly $32,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace, Call Me Yours - assigned post position two - called the three-hole home as 8-5 favourite Lightning Treasure led through intervals of :28, :57.2 and 1:25.2.
Call Me Yours then moved out just before the three-quarters for driver Stephane Bouchard, engaging and engulfing the leader in mid-stretch. She edged away by three-quarters of a length in a season's best 1:53.3. Lightning Treasure was the bridesmaid, while Soiree rounded out the top three finishers.
For Call Me Yours, a five-year-old daughter of Your Nemesis trained by Mark Ford for owner Stephen Gillard, she returned $9 for her third win in nine seasonal starts.
The weekly $32,000 Open Handicap Trot saw 11-1 outsider Winnin Image and driver Greg Grismore parlay a pocket trip into a winning effort.
Leaving from post three, Winnin Image sat behind last week's winner, Upsidedown. That one put up weigh stations of :28.3, :59.1 and 1:28.1. Beach Nut Brand grinded first-up, while race favourite Master Pine soiled a second-over trip by misbehaving down the backside. Upsidedown owned the lead as the field came into the lane, but Winnin Image ducked in and dashed off, winning by a length in 1:57.2. Victors Vicky was second best and third prize went to Upsidedown.
For Winnin' Image, an eight-year-old American Winner gelding trained by Ron Burke for owner Linda Matejceck, he returned $25.60 for his first win of the season.
Friday night also included four, $12,500 divisions in first preliminary round of the Petticoat Pacing Series for three and four-year-old fillies and mares
Docdor Libby turned in the fastest series effort, a sharp 1:54.3 effort en route to a solid victory for driver Jeff Gregory. Jake Hartline trained the odds-on four-year-old daughter of Camluck for co-owners Santo Farina, Kevin Quinn and Frank Roberts.
The other Petticoat series winners were Artistic Gal (1:57.3), Forever Libby (1:56.4) and Rev Me Up (1:56.2).
The weather-delayed $49,700 final of the Hopeful Pacing Series for three-year-old colts and geldings goes Saturday night.
(Yonkers Raceway)