Yonkers Raceway's Friday night $46,000 co-featured Open Handicaps -- Pace for the ladies and Trot for all qualified -- were won by certified bombardier Rock N Load (Dan Dube, $70.50) and repeating Tall Cotton (George Brennan, $9.90).
Pole assignee Rock N Load was minding her business as Economy Terror (Jason Bartlett) worked around her before a :27.3 opening quarter-mile. That one then gave it up to a second move of Royal Cee Cee N (Brian Sears).
The 6-5 choice made the lead before a :56.2 half, then rated soft (:29-second) third quarter (1:25.2) with just mild pressure from Billmar Scooter (Eric Goodell). Despite the respite, Royal Cee Cee N was in trouble off the final turn.
Economy Terror edged from the pocket, Ramalama (Brennan) went wide and Sir Jillian Z Tam (Pat Lachance) even wider. However, it was the 34-1 rank outsider taking the inside route, with Rock N Load beating Sir Jillian Z Tam by a neck in 1:53.4. Third went to a tiring Royal Cee Cee N, with Ramalama and Economy Terror rounding out the payees.
For Rock N Load, a five-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover trained by Danny Gill for co-owners Edward Hall and James Hall Jr., it was her sixth win in 27 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $498, with the triple returning $3,938.
The featured trot saw 1-2 fave Little Brown Fox (Sears) out two turns before eventually making the lead (:28, :57). Meanwhile, Tall Cotton -- behind the eight-ball at the start -- was able to wedge into what became a five-hole.
He then moved toward the lead at the intermission, engaging the people's preference after a 1:26.1 three-quarters. Tall Cotton secured the lead early in the lane, putting away the leader, then holding off a rallying Bound For Fame (Jordan Stratton) by a head in 1:56. Third went to Calchips Brute (Dube), with Little Brown Fox and Meladys Monet (Bartlett) coming away with the remainder.
For second choice Tall Cotton, a seven-year-old Revenue S gelding co-owned by trainer Ron Burke (as Burke Racing), Howard Taylor, Weaver Brusecemi and Edwin Gold, he's now six-for-17 this season. The exacta paid $63.50, with triple returning $472.50.
After a pair of 34-1 shots won legs of Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night Pick 5, the end result was predictable...no one hit it. Thus, spiced by a $3,426 carryover, Saturday night’s Pick 5 shall include a $10,000 guaranteed pool.
The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager offered on races five through nine nightly. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Friday), the entire pool (minus takeout) carries over to the next racing program.
The Pick 5 already offers a $10,000 guaranteed pool every Monday and Tuesday, with program pages for the built-in “guarantee” days available for perusal at yonkersraceway.com.
(Yonkers Raceway)