Smalltownthrowdown (Daniel Dubé, $7.40) snapped his rivals at the wire Sunday afternoon (July 1), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $44,000 Open Handicap Trot.
The weekly trotting feature was not included in the four-pack of races sent to a French simulcast audience to begin the card.
Rather, the flat-mile festivities saw lass N F Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr.) — assigned outside her half-dozen foes — parked into the second turn and past a :27.1 opening quarter-mile before making the lead.
She did rate a :30.1 next split as her sister in arms, Weslynn Dancer (Jason Bartlett), moved first-up from fourth.
That towed Smalltownthrowdown, unhurried from post position 6, within striking distance. N F Happenstance, though, led in and out a 1:26 three-quarters, with a 1-1/2 length advantage off the final turn.
The leading lady hung tough, but could not stall Smalltownthrowdown. That one edged past late, winning by a neck in 1:55, his fastest purse win time of the season. N F Happenstance held second, with 13-10 favourite DWs NY Yank (George Brennan) relegated to a pocket third. Weslynn Dancer and Bluebird Jesse (Brent Holland) came away with the minors.
For second choice Smalltownthrowdown, a five-year-old Cash Hall gelding co-owned (as Allard Racing) by trainer Rene Allard, Yves Sarazin, VIP Internet Stable and Bruce Soulsby, it was his third win in eight seasonal starts and the 20th win of his career. The exacta paid $50.50, the triple returned $163 and the superfecta paid $593.
Special props to George Brennan for a 10-win weekend (four Friday, five Saturday, one Sunday afternoon) over a 30-race span.
Sunday’s scheduled rendition of the "New York, New York Double" was cancelled after Belmont Park deferred to the heat and scrapped its card.
The next Sunday matinee is July 15 (post time TBA).
(Yonkers Raceway)