A middle move into a contested pace sent 2-1 favourite B Yoyo ($6.00) to the front in Saturday (August 22) evening’s $14,000 Open Trot at Tioga Downs, and the five-year-old Striking Sahbra gelding edged clear of his seven rivals for a 1:52.4 score in the Roll With Joe Eve feature.
Vinny Ginsburg attended the early pace while inside three other leavers, allowing E R Ellie (Jim Meittinis), Skates N Plates (Aaron Byron), and Canadian Wildcat (Mike Simons) to alternate on the lead before commencing a first-over rally on the clubhouse turn with B Yoyo. After Canadian Wildcat reached race’s mid-point in :55.2, B Yoyo ratcheted up the pressure, taking over midway on the backstretch and edging clear at will. B Yoyo authoritatively established the lead through a :28.3 third quarter, but 22-1 outsider Six Bax (Jim Taggart Jr.) loomed a major threat after working out a second-over trip. Still, B Yoyo proved superior, edging clear to defeat Six Bax by two and a quarter lengths. Jailhouse Jessica (Jim Marohn Jr.) rallied from third-over to take third, while E R Ellie saved fourth after she was compromised by traffic on the far turn.
Bob Bongiorno trains B Yoyo for Bill Lambos and Dionisios Liberatos.
Jim Marohn Jr. led all drivers with a hat trick on the 10-race card, teaming up with Marc Major trainees Highland Yankee ($31.60, 1:55.2) and Geronimo Fame ($8.40, 1:57.2), along with Mike Sinclair trainee Keystone Trevor ($4.80, 1:56).
(Tioga Downs)