Major Crocker A and favoured Eye Ofa Tiger AS proved best Saturday, April 27, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $44,000 Open Handicaps.
Major Crocker A, from post position four, was handy from first-up in the weekly adult pace. He engaged Caviart Luca after that one’s seemingly-cheap early intervals of :27.3 and :57.1.
Regardless, Major Crocker A disposed of that one by the 1:24.3 three-quarters. He opened a length-and-three-quarter lead in and out of the final turn, then prevailed by that exact same margin in a life-best 1:52.3.
Micky Gee N, as the 13-10 favourite, gapped the winner down the backside before belatedly getting into second. Third went to Caviart Luca, with Macs Jackpot and Our Max Phactor N picking off the remainder.
For third choice Major Crocker A, a nine-year-old down-under Art Major gelding co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard, Stephen Klunowski and Kapildeo Singh, it was his second win in nine seasonal starts. Dan Dube drove the $8.80 winner. The exacta paid $21.20, the triple returned $55 and the superfecta paid $165.
The week’s marquee worked well for Eye Ofa Tiger AS who—from post four—was the only leaver and had breaker-incited confusion behind him.
He went the distance through fractions of :28.4, :58.4 and 1:26.3 to a season’s-best 1:55.3, holding off the bid of Will Take Charge by three-quarter lengths. New Heaven, Meladys Monet and In Secret settled for the minor moolah.
For Eye Ofa Tiger AS, a five-year-old Chapter Seven gelding co-owned by ACL Stuteri AB & Kjell Johansson and trained by Anette Lorentzon, it was his fourth win in 11 ’19 tries. Jason Bartlett drove the $4.60 winner. The exacta paid $35.60, the triple returned $98 and the superfecta paid $295.50.
(with files from Yonkers Raceway)