Yonkers Raceway's usual Friday night pair of $44,000 co-featured Open Handicaps--for distaff pacers and either-gender-welcome trotters--were won by P Note Blue Chip ($12.80) and Blacktuxwhitesocks ($8.50).
In play from post position No. 2 with George Brennan at the reins, P Note Blue Chip worked around Shaky Hanover (Brian Sears), making the lead before a :27.4 opening quarter-mile. From there, a rated :29-second next intervals (:56.4 half) before Breakheart Pass (Jason Bartlett) made her second move of the performance. Ticket To Rock (Cat Manzi), the 13-10 choice, was gapping from second-over.
However, Breakheart Pass was rebuffed in and out of the 1:23.4 three-quarters as P Note Blue Chip took a length and three-quarter lead into the lane. From there, she needed only hold off a 'Shaky' stalker, which 'P Note' did by three-quarters of a length in a season's-best 1:52.2. Third went to Ticket To Rock, with Breakheart Pass and All About Kisses (Eric Goodell) grabbing the small change.
For P Note Blue Chip, a five-year-old daughter of Western Ideal co-owned by Ontarians Ross Warriner and Steve Calhoun and trained by Casie Coleman, it was her seventh win (as the fourth choice) in 21 '12 tries. The exacta paid $47.60, with the triple returning $172.50.
Brennan worked out a perfect, second-over trip for Blacktuxwhitesocks. Overcoming the always-appreciated eight-hole, 'Blacktux'--who shares the all-age track record (1:54.1) with Archangel--watched from sixth as H And Ms Hit (Jordan Stratton) put up early fractions of :28.1 and :58.
Looking Hanover (Yannick Gingras), the 3-2 favourite, then moved from fifth, engaging the leader through a :28.3 third quarter (1:26.3). Turning for home, one could sense 'Looking' was about to win the battle, but lose the war. He put away H And Ms Hit, but was powerless to stave off the trotter on his back. It was Blacktuxwhitesocks, as the third choice, edging away late, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:56. Bastille (Manzi), Master Pine (Jim Pantaleano) and Son Of Nordic (Goodell) earned the minor spoils
For Blacktuxwhitesocks, a five-year-old Credit Winner gelding trained by Trond Smedshammer and owned by New York's Purple Haze Stables, it was his sixth win in 17 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $20.60, the triple returned $84.50 and the superfecta paid $460.50.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)