Odds-on favourite Fat Mans Alley (Brian Sears, $2.70, part of entry) read the memo just in time Tuesday afternoon, as he won Yonkers Raceway’s $70,500 final of the Jackpot Next Door Claiming Series.
The series featured base $20,000 claiming males in three preliminary legs leading into the final.
A gapping third early from Post 3, the ‘Fat Man’ saw Bubbie Boy (driven by George Brennan) stroll through sedate early fractions of :28 and :57.2.
Bubbie Boy then threw down a :27.1 third quarter (1:24.1) right as Fat Mans Alley was getting his work order. The leader had a length-and-a-half advantage entering the lane, but the Fat Man Cometh.
He wore down Bubbie Boy mid-stretch and eventually beat him by that length-and-a-half margin in 1:52.3. Innocent Victim (Dan Dube, Fat Mans Alley’s entrymate) nosed out the pocket-sitting Colonial Road (Scott Zeron) for third. Cant It Be Me (Jason Bartlett) finished fifth.
Fat Mans Alley is an eight-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding that is co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard and Jack and Ferne Frydman. The win was Fat Mans Alley’s sixth in what was his 17th seasonal start. The exacta paid $7.10 and the triactor returned $20.
The $30,000 series consolation was won by So Good Im Bad (Eric Abbatiello, $10.40) in 1:53.2.
(Yonkers Raceway)