Yonkers Raceway's pair of Friday night $46,000 Open Handicaps for trotters and distaff pacers were won by Monsignor Flan and Royal Cee Cee N.
It was Lorenzo Dream (Jim Pantaleano) cutting the mile in the featured trot, finding a :28-second opening quarter and a :57.3 half. Gurf (Brian Sears) loosely protected the pocket, while race favourite, Monsignor Flan, was away sixth for driver Brent Holland
He methodically marched toward the leader go to the 1:26.3 three-quarters, with Lorenzos Dream clinging to a short lead off the final turn. However, Monsignor Flan was on a mission, going by the leader early in the lane. He won by a length-and-a-quarter in a season's-best 1:55.1. Lorenzo Dream held second, with Whata Winner (Jim Doherty) finishing third.
For Monsignor Flan, a six-year-old SJs Photo homebred gelding owned Tanah Merah Farms and trained by Robin Cruise, it was his third win in 16 seasonal starts. He paid $4.20.
The fairer-sex feature saw Royal Cee Cee N, leaving from post two, take a patient approach for driver Eric Goodell.
Handsoffmycookie (Dan Dube), as the 13-10 favourite, worked her way around pole-assignee Naughtytiltheend (Holland) just after a :28-second opening quarter-mile. Handsoffmycookie then flipped the baton to Bettor B Lucky (Matt Kakaley), who led the lasses toward a :58.1 intermission.
However, she was powerless to stave off the assault of Royal Cee Cee N, who made a decisive move out of fourth. The new leader took over just after halftime, with Maries Z Tam (George Brennan) now pocketed and Bettor B Lucky stopping to a crawl.
That completely shuffled Handsoffmycookie out of the race. Meanwhile, Royal Cee Cee N found a 1:26.4 three-quarters, taking a length-and-a-half lead into lane. She easily held off Maries Z Tam, winning by a length in 1:54. Tropical Breeze (Sears) rallied for third.
For third choice Royal Cee Cee N, a seven-year-old Down Under daughter of Christian Cullen owned and trained by Mark Harder, it was her second win in eight seasonal starts. She paid $7.30.
(Yonkers Raceway)