Longshot Pan From Nantucket, driven by Eric Goodell, slipped up the cones Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's quite contentious $46,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Assigned post position No. 2, 'Nantucket' was away in good order, setting up shop behind Code Word (Jason Bartlett) after a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. Meanwhile, 9-5 favourite Something For Doc (Brian Sears), took a lot of air before finally making the lead after a :55.l half.
'Doc' was given no respite, as Sagamore Hill winner Pancetta (Mark MacDonald) took his shot moving from fifth. He could not clear at the 1:23.3 three-quarters, with Code Word slipping out three-wide. An unused Annieswesterncard (George Brennan) was gearing up widest of all, with Something For Doc taking a length and a half lead into the lane.
However, Something For Doc’s trip proved too difficult. 'Annie' closed down the middle of the track, but short way -- in this case, Pan From Nantucket -- was the better way. The latter prevailed by a neck in 1:52.4, with Flem N Em N (Larry Stalbaum) closing for third. Code Word and Mr Hassani (Brent Holland) grabbed the remainder, with Mr Hassani recovering from a break behind the gate. Something For Doc tired to seventh.
For Pan From Nantucket, a five-year-old No Pan Intended gelding owned by Blindswitch Racing Stable and trained by Jose Godinez, he returned $70 (seventh choice) for his third win in 11 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $280, with the triple returning $3,225.
(Yonkers Raceway)