Yonkers Raceway's Friday night $46,000 co-features -- an Open Pace for ladies and an Open Handicap Trot for either gender -- were won by Sir Jillian Z Tam (Pat Lachance, $6.90) and Meladys Monet (Jason Bartlett, $19.20).
Sir Jillian Z Tam won the draw Monday and the race Friday. Yielding early to Billmar Scooter (Eric Goodell), "Jillian" was carried to the lane after fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25.
"Billmar" gave it up early stretch as Sir Jillian Z Tam took the inside route and widened to two and a half lengths in 1:53. Billmar Scooter held second over Four Starz Roe (Jason Bartlett), with Kamwood Laughter N (Shaun Vallee) and Campanille (George Brennan) settling for the remainder. Tepid 2-1 choice Brownsville Bomber (Dan Dube) never fired and wound up seventh.
For second choice Sir Jillian Z Tam, a five-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight co-owned (with Z Tam Stables and Ira Rosenblum) and trained by her driver, it was her third win in 19 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $32.20, with the triple returning $132.50.
Pole assignee Meladys Monet was sequestered in behind 1-2 fave Tall Cotton (Brennan) through intervals of :28, :58.1 and 1:27. After a prolonged battle with Little Brown Fox (Brian Sears), Tall Cotton owned a length and a half lead into the lane.
However, "Melady" passed in the passing lane, winning by a half-length in 1:55.1. Third went to Little Brown Fox, with Traverse Seelester (Eric Goodell) and Monsignor Flan (Brent Holland) rounding out the payees.
For third choice Meladys Monet a four-year-old Revenue S gelding trained by Taylor Gower for owner Melady Enterprises, he's now five-for-16 this season. The exacta paid $79, with the triple returning $189.50.
Friday's card also included the finals of the Jackpot Next Door Claiming Series, a five-week series for $20,000 claiming pacers for both sexes. P H Supercam (Sears, $12.60) was up on the money in the $76,000 event for boys (life-best 1:52), while Denyittothend (Dube, $44) was a pocket winner (from the eight-hole) in the $59,500 girls gala (life-best 1:54).
Both winners were trained Rene Allard, as well as co-owned by him and Anatolia Racing Stable.
Saturday night features the 59th Yonkers Trot, first leg of Trotting's Triple Crown. The $450,000 event goes as race seven, and shook out as such:
1. Fico (Brennan, 6-1)
2. Dewycolorintheline (Ray Schnittker, 3-1)
3. Celebrity Stimulus (Tom Jackson, 10-1)
4. Dontyouforgetit (Sears, 8-5)
5. Boffin (Charlie Norris, 8-1)
6. Creampuff Macdaddy (Bartlett, 4-1)
7. Lauderdale (Holland, 8-1).
8. Cantab Abs (Trond Smedshammer, 20-1)
There are seven three-year-old colts and one (Lauderdale) gelding.
(Yonkers Raceway)