Taco Tuesday (Jordan Stratton, $23.40) did his damage from the second-over position on Sunday afternoon (August 6), as the four-year-old Cantab Hall gelding triumphed in Yonkers Raceway’s $68,000 Open Handicap Trot.
After having floated out of the gate from Post 6, Taco Tuesday found a home fifth while the 19-10 post-time choice, Hemi Seelster (driven by Jason Bartlett), made his way to the lead. After having overcome his assigned Post 8 start, ‘Hemi’ was issue-free through the early fractions (:29.1, :59, 1:28.4).
While down the backside for the final time, Buen Camino (Scott Zeron) advanced from fourth and confronted Hemi Seelster as the pace of race picked up. After a 1:57.1 milepost, Hemi Seelster owned a shortening lead into the lane, As Buen Camino was about to win the battle…but lose the war.
Taco Tuesday, who was towed into contention by Buen Camino, appreciated the gesture so much that he rolled right over him. Taco Tuesday won by a length. The mile-and-a-quarter event was clocked in 2:26.3. Hemi Seelster faded to third. Sumatra (Eric Goodell) and Georgies Pockets (Joe Bongiorno) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. The exacta paid $107, the triple returned $489.50 and the superfecta paid $8,476.
Taco Tuesday is owned by Vincent Laurenzo and trained by Rob Harmon. The win was the gelding’s sixth seasonal triumph in what was his 14th start of the campaign.
Sunday’s installment of the ‘New York, New York Double’ offered a winning combination of 6-Rally Cry (Saratoga’s third race) and 4-Tarot (Yonkers’ seventh race) that paid $11.80 for every correct $1 wager. The total pool was $7,977.
Yonkers’ post time next Sunday (Aug. 13) will be 12:30 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)