T Js Mr. Lavec skimmed the cones for driver Jason Bartlett Friday night to win Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $43,000 Open Handicap Trot, while Ramona Disomma and George Brennan rally from third over to capture the $43,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace
Leaving from post position six, T Js Mr. Lavec was nowhere to be found early as Coach Fox (Larry Stalbaum) was a horse on a mission. He vaulted through intervals of :27.3, :55.3 and 1:24.1, with 19-10 choice Flex The Muscle (Jeff Gregory) chasing from the pocket. However, the wheels began to wobble in and out of the final turn, company was coming mid-stretch and the two leaders were gasping.
T Js Mr. Lavec took the short way, with KLM Express (Jim Marshall III) arriving overland. The former and latter had all the momentum past the 1:55.3 mile, with T Js Mr. Lavec prevailing by a half-length in 2:02.4 for the mile-and-one-sixteenth. Whata Winner (Jim Doherty), Cold Winner (Dan Dube) and I Know Magic (Eric Goodell) grabbed the remainder.
For T Js Mr. Lavec, a seven-year-old Mr. Lavec gelding trained by Scott Blackler for co-owners Beverly & Gary Paganelli, Allen Kaplan and Leon Schickman, he returned $15.40 for his third win in 13 seasonal starts.
Leaving from post five, Ramona Disomma was in no early hurry in her assignment, watching as Symphony In Motion (Gregory) made the lead around Bet The Ranch (Cat Manzi). After a :27-second opening quarter and :56.1 half, outside assignees Monochromatic (Jim Pantaleano) and 4-5 fave, Tomorrowpan, (Dube), sitting fourth and fifth, respectively, made their second moves.
Monochromatic engaged the leader going toward the 1:24.2 three-quarters, with Tomorrowpan three-deep. However, Symphony In Motion maintained a two-length lead turning for home. That's when Tomorrowpan made an ugly break.
Undaunted, Ramona Disomma went wide around that one and kept going. Sixth off the final turn, she collared the pace-setter after the 1:53.1 mile marker, winning by three-quarters of a length and getting the added distance in 2:00.3. Bet The Ranch, Sold Out (Pat Lachance) and Monochromatic completed the cashers.
For Ramona Disomma, a six-year-old homebred daughter of Pacific Fella owned by Anatolia Racing Stable and trained by Jake Hartline, she returned $15.80 for her fourth win in 23 seasonal starts.
(Yonkers Raceway)