Scott Rocks and Will Take Charge both went the distance Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s pair of $46,000 co-featured Open Handicaps.
From post position No. 4 in the weekly pacing feature, Scott Rocks (Eric Goodell) had to work around 95-1 pole-assigned Great Vintage (Troy Beyer). He did, making the lead right at a :26.2 opening quarter-mile. The longshot leaver forced slight 5-2 favourite Caviart Luca (George Brennan) to take a three-hole before that one made a second move.
Caviart Luca went after Scott Rocks from a :55.3 intermission to a 1:22.4 three-quarters, with The Real One (Pat Lachance) second-over. Scott Rocks owned a length-and-three-quarter leader into the lane, then closed the sale.
He defeated The Real One by three-quarters of a length, with Caviart Luca third. A belated eight-holer Micky Gee N (Stratton) and Proven Desire (Jim Marohn, Jr.) picked off the remainder.
For fourth choice Scott Rocks, a nine-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding co-owned by Northfork Racing & Chuck Pompey and trained by Hunter Oakes, it was his sixth win in 15 seasonal starts. He paid $8.30 to win.
Will Take Charge (Jordan Stratton) did his bidding from post No. 7 in the week’s marquee trot. Out into the second turn, he eventually went past In Secret (Brennan) after that one’s :27.3 opening quarter.
From there, intervals of :56.3, 1:25.4 and a season-best-matching 1:54 made it fairly simple. The final margin over In Secret was a length-and-three-quarters, with 13-10 choice Meladys Monet (Goodell) a never-in-it third. New Heaven (Marohn, Jr.) and Eye Ofa Tiger AS (Jason Bartlett) settled for the smaller envelopes.
For second choice Will Take Charge, a six-year-old Kadabra gelding co-owned by (trainer) Jeff Gillis and Mac Nichol, it was his fourth win in a dozen ’19 tries. He paid $6.30 to win.
(Yonkers)