Friday night's co-featured $36,000 Open Handicap Trot at Yonkers Raceway was won by favourite Looking Hanover and driver Mark MacDonald
in 1:55.4.
A double-parked Perfect Rendition (Larry Stalbaum) made the lead after :28-second opening quarter. Looking Hanover, from post No. 3, yielded to that one. A :56.4 half ensued before Perfect Rendition made his own trouble. He jumped it off down the backside going toward the 1:26 three-quarters.
That misstep left 7-5 fave Looking Hanover on the lead, with a first-up Farifant (Goodell) alongside. After that one was rebuffed, last week's winner, Blacktuxwhitesocks (Stratton), found room and darted through. However, Looking Hanover was saved by the wire, prevailing by a neck in 1:55.4. "Blacktux," Celebrity Bluechip (Bartlett), Orange Bigi (Manzi) and Neighsay Hanover (Pat Lachance) rounded out the payees.
For Looking Hanover, a seven-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding co-owned by Dawn Marie Gannon and Yannick Gingras and trained by Ed Gannon Jr., he returned $4.80 for his first win in nine '12 tries. The exacta paid $20.60 and the triple returned $84.
Odds-on favourite Feeling You, driven by Eric Goodell, found the passing lane just in time Friday night, winning the co-featured $36,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.
In play early from post position No. 5, Feeling You was stuffed in behind Breakheart Pass (Jason Bartlett) before a :26.2 opening quarter-mile. Four Starz Roe (Jordan Stratton) broke in the first turn. Meanwhile, Breakheart Pass found a :55-second intermission before last week's winner, Keepers Destiny (Mark MacDonald), moved from third.
The leader was under fire in and out of the 1:23.1 three-quarters, with Keepers Destiny challenging and Naughtytiltheend (Brent Holland) behind that one. Keepers Destiny grabbed the baton from Breakheart Pass early stretch, with Feeling You all dressed up with no place to race.
The latter did eventually get the HOV lane, then forged by, winning by a length in 1:52. Second went to Keepers Destiny, with Naughtytiltheend, Breakheart Pass and Fox Valley Sage (Cat Manzi) grabbing the leftovers.
For Feeling You, a five-year-old daughter of Cambest trained by Amber Buter for co-owners Gallicchio Racing Stable, Tyler Buter and Vincent Cannella, she returned $3.80 for her seventh win in 16 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $14.60, with the triple returning $55.50.
A pair of Saturday night stakes are on tap, with the $306,204 Art Rooney Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings, and its companion event, the $176,484 Lismore Pace for three-year-old old fillies, leading the 13-race card.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)