Friday night's co-featured $52,000 Open Handicap Trot at Yonkers Raceway had a persistent, 13-10 favourite Calchips Brute (Brennan) prevail the hard way, giving driver George Brennan one of his eight wins on the harness racing program
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Leaving from post No. 6, Calchips Brute took after Speed Bomb (Pantaleano). That one, in play from behind the eight-ball, laid down fractions of :27.3 and :57. Calchips Brute moved from uncovered from fifth, chasing toward the 1:25.3 three-quarters.
Speed Bomb had a length-and-a-quarter lead turning for home, but it had all but evaporated by the 1:55.2 mile. Calchips Brute then edged past both Speed Bomb and pocket-sitting Pembroke Prayer (Dan Dube), getting the added distance in 2:02.4. The margin was three-quarters of a length, with Pembroke Prayer winning the place photo and Winnin Image (Jim Marshall III) and The Chancellor (Holland) coming away with the remainder.
For Calchips Brute, a five-year-old homebred son of Credit Winner owned by Diane Giuliano and trained by Trond Smedshammer, he returned $4.70 for his fourth win in 15 '11 tries. The exacta paid $21.80, with the triple returning $191.50.
Brennan began his winning crusade in the first three races with Ball McCartney N ($4.60), Celebrity Bluechip ($3.90), and Boots Place ($17). He also won three in a row beginning in the the sixth race with Im Just Special ($3.20), Calchips Brute, and Western Graduate ($4) before scoring back-to-back wins in the 10th and 11th races with Exquisite Alberta ($3.70) and Flex The Muscle ($4.10).
Shacked Up captured Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $52,000 Filly & Mare Open Handicap Pace with Eric Goodell in the sulky.
After 3-2 choice Panagler (George Brennan) stepped around first leader Full Picture (Brent Holland), the people's preference threw down intervals of :26.4, :56.2 and 1:24.2. First-up came Breakheart Pass (Jim Pantaleano), with Keystone Katherine (Dan Dube) on that one's back.
Panagler owned a length lead into the lane as Full Picture went the other way in a hurry. Panagler maintained the advantage at the 1:52.3 mile marker, but began drifting in. She was about to get snapped on the money by millionairess Shacked Up. The victress, leaving from post position No. 7 and wide from third-over, stuck her tongue out in 2:00.1 for the mile-and-one-sixteenth. Ramona Disomma (Jordan Stratton) found late life to grab third, with Breakheart Pass and "Katherine" rounding out the payees. The first six finishers (Billmar Scooter [Cat Manzi]) were separated by just a length at the line.
For Shacked Up, a five-year-old daughter of Western Terror trained by Josh Green for co-owners Baron Racing and VIP Internet Stables, she returned $34.80 (seventh choice) for her sixth win in 20 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $111, the triple returned $1,146 and the superfecta paid $10,886.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)