Al Raza N (Mark MacDonald, $13) roared through the lane Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
It didn’t appear to be a closer’s race after odds-on number Mosquito Blue Chip (Dan Dube) worked around Pasultimatedelite N (George Brennan) and dawdled through early intervals of 28-flat and 57-flat.
Even when longshot Know It All (Eric Abbatiello) offered a stern, backside challenge, it was only into a 28-second (1:25) three-quarters.
Despite the comfy fractions, “Mosquito” was about to be swatted. She was swallowed up from all sides early in the lane, with a third-over (from post position No. 7) Al Raza N closing fastest from sixth turning for home. She picked off Pasultimatedelite N by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.2, with McCovey Cove N (Jordan Stratton), Jag Out (Steve Smith) and Know It All settling for the remainder. Mosquito Blue Chip faded to sixth.
For third choice Al Raza N, a six-year-old Down Under daughter of Gotta Go Cullect owned by trainer Augie Abbatiello’s Durazzano Stable LLC, the win was her fifth in eight seasonal starts. The exacta paid $44.40, with the all-Kiwi triple returning $153.
A friendly reminder from Yonkers Raceway that Saturday evening’s (April 30) Pick 5 wager begins with a tidy carryover of $4,999.04.
The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager comprising races seven through 11 during every racing program. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Friday evening), the entire pool (minus takeout) moves to the next program.
(Yonkers Raceway)