In form Gallant Yankee (Jason Bartlett), despite being parked past the quarter Saturday night, handily annexed Yonkers Raceway's $32,500 Open Handicap
Pace.
Leaving from post position No. 6, the slight 2-1 favourite worked his way around Southwind Tabor (Jim Pantaleano) just after a :27.1 opening station. He then rated a :57-second half before Arduous (George Brennan) took out of third. The leader had just mild pressure through the 1:25.1 three-quarters, widening to three lengths turning for home.
He found the mile marker in 1:52.3, before getting the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 1:59.3 Arduous won the place photo over Southwind Tabor--four lengths behind the winner--with Johnny Z (Dan Dube) and Forest Vic A (Steve Smith) completing the cashers.
Gallant Yankee, a five-year-old Western Hanover gelding trained by Mark Ford for owner James Snyder of Wooster, Ohio, he returned $6.20 for his fifth win (third consecutive) in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $12.80 (two wagering choices), with the triple returning $40.
Saturday night's $20,000 finale saw Sailing Cruise (Bartlett, $8.40) pace around the pylons in 1:58.4, setting an age-track record for the added distance (mile timed in 1:51.4). Eldo Leonelli trains the six-year-old son of Riverboat King for co-owners Mickey Peterson of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and George Zitone of Montague, New Jersey.
(Yonkers Raceway)