Smalltownthrowdown (Brian Sears, $8.50) was a two-move titan Sunday afternoon (May 20), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $54,800 Open Handicap Trot.
The field of eight went as the opener and the first of four trots simulcast to France. Smalltownthrowdown, who left three-wide from post position 6, found an early four-hole.
He watched Buen Camino (Jim Marohn Jr.) and longshot Bluebird Jesse (catch-driver Brent Holland) duel early, with the latter — out two turns — making the lead between a :28.1 opening quarter-mile and :57.2 half. Smalltownthrowdown was then ready for his cue, extricating himself from the cones and busting the race wide open. The lead was 3-1/2 lengths at the 1:27 three-quarters. After a 1:55.2 mile, Smalltownthrowdown finished the mile and a quarter in 2:25.4.
Buen Camino found room late to grab a best-of-the-rest second, beaten 3-3/4 lengths. Bluebird Jesse easily held third, with Kinetic King (Jordan Stratton) and Gural Hanover (George Brennan) relegated to the minors. Seasoned Saint (Jason Bartlett) was a never-in-it sixth as the 9-5 favourite.
For third choice Smalltownthrowdown, a five-year-old Cash Hall gelding co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard, Bruce Soulsby, Yves Sarazin and VIP Internet Stable, it was his second win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $26.80, the triple returned $124 and the superfecta paid $439.50.
The next Sunday matinee is June 17 (post time TBA).
(Yonkers Raceway)