Canadian invader Michaels Power (George Brennan, $4.10) could not have had it much simpler Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $46,000 Open Pace.
The lone leaver -- from post position No. 6 -- Brennan and Canada's reigning Horse of the Year had things all their own way. Waltzing through qualifier-like early fractions of :27.4 and :57.1, last season's Little Brown Jug and Confederation Cup winner had 'em right where he wanted 'em.
It was Malak Uswaad N (Eric Goodell) taking a shot from fourth going toward the 1:25 three-quarters, but he was rebuffed. The popular leader, with a length and a half advantage turning for home, completed a :26.4 final quadrant (1:51.4) to prevail by a comfy length and a quarter.
China Grill outdid Flem N Em N for second, with Domethatagain (Brent Holland) and Malak Uswaad N rounding out the payees.
For locally-debuting Michaels Power, a four-year-old homebred Camluck gelding owned by Jeff Snyder and trained by Casie Coleman, it was his third win in seven seasonal starts (career 18-for-30, earnings of $1,558,265). The exacta paid $16.20, with the triple returning $63.
(Yonkers Raceway)