Whata Winner (Jim Doherty) rudely gave nothing else a chance Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $43,000 Open Handicap Trot
.
Leaving from post position No. 5, Whata Winner went right to the big chair, stepping lively through intervals of :27.3, 57.3 and 1:26.4. All the while, Pembroke Prayer (Jason Bartlett) was chasing from the pocket and eight-hole assignee KLM Express (Jim Marshall III) made his second move after getting away fourth.
Whata Winner widened to two and a half lengths turning for home, found the mile in a snappy 1:54.4 before finishing off the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 2:02. That effort set a track record for his weight class going the added distance. He was three and a half lengths better than KLM Express, with Pembroke Prayer, Armbro Casino (Shaun Vallee) and 9-10 choice I Look Special (George Brennan) completing the cashers.
For Whata Winner, a four-year-old Credit Winner gelding co-owned (with Thomas Dillon and Terrax Inc.) and trained by Doherty, he returned $13.80 (third choice) for his third win in 10 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $52, the triple returned $410 and the superfecta paid $3,056.
Friday night's $43,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace saw the successful local return of Blue Chip Matchmaker Series victress Tomorrowpan (Dan Dube).
Leaving from penultimate post No. 6, Tomorowpan--caught three-wide--made lead after a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. The 8-5 fave then found a :56.2 half and 1:24.2 three-quarters, with Keystone Katherine (Cat Manzi) trying her luck first-up.
However, both "Katherine" and pocket-protecting Monochromatic (Jim Pantaleano) began to give way.
Tomorrowpan opened to two and a half lengths in and out of the final turn. She hit the mile marker in 1:51.4, then found the mile-and-one-sixteenth in 1:58.4...a track record for aged mares at the extra yardage. Babes Bistro (Eric Goodell), involved in the early fray, closed well to snatch second, with Monochromatic, Farmers Tuition (Brent Holland) and Keystone Katherine coming away with the minor moolah.
For Tomorrowpan, a five-year-old daughter of No Pan Intended owned by Steve Calhoun of Chatham, Ont. and trained by Casie Coleman, she returned $5.30 for her seventh win in 14 '11 tries. The exacta paid $67, with the triple returning $199.50.
(Yonkers Raceway)