When last we saw Fleur de Lil A and driver Eric Goodell, they were winning Yonkers Raceway's $42,500 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace from third-over
. A fortnight later, same tact, same result.
Fleur De Lil A, negotiating both the eight-hole and a gapper in front of her, launched a big Friday night move in and out of the final turn.
LR Dancing Dream (Jim Pantaleano) made the lead passing a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. She then found a :55.3 intermission and 1:24.2 three-quarters, with Little Mermaid N (Stephane Bouchard) supplying the company.
The leader was done early stretch, swallowed up by Fleur De Lil A, among others. Fleur De Lil A, last early, handled Hannah Isabel (Cat Manzi) in 1:53.3, with Monochromatic (Matt Kakaley), Little Mermaid N and Gordyyys Pet (Brent Holland) completing the cashers.
For Fleur de Lil A, a seven-year-old Down Under Armbro Operative mare owned by Luke McCarthy and trained by Noel Daley, she returned $16.80 for her fifth win in 16 seasonal starts.
Say this much for Pembroke Prayer, he does not discriminate.
Three consecutive wins over three different ovals, the latest, after Scarborough and Saratoga, occurred in his Friday night local return.
Leaving from post position six in the weekly trotting feature, Pembroke Prayer, as the tepid 2-1 choice, handled the first turn, something several of his rivals could not say. They could, but they'd be lying.
He stepped around pylon assignee Batalj Launcher (Goodell), then strolled though fractions of :28, 58.1, 1:26.3 and 1:55.1. That effort duplicated both the fastest local trot mile of the season (Hurrikanebiggeorge) and the track record for aged geldings (shared by a couple of others).
Pembroke Prayer easily held Batalj Launcher at bay, winning by a couple of lengths. Summertime Yankee (Kakaley), Lady in the Wind (Manzi) and Master Pine (Jason Bartlett) also made appearance fees.
For Pembroke Prayer, a six-year-old Like a Prayer gelding co-owned by (trainer) Mark Ford and William Varney, he returned $6.40 for his 10th win in 34 seasonal starts.
(Yonkers Raceway)