Rockin Glass, driven by Dan Dube, stole cheap fractions and made 'em pay Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $44,000 Open Handicap Pace.
With a field reduced to half-dozen after a pair of illnesses, Rockin Glass--in one notch to post position No. 4--made the lead around Malicious (Mark MacDonald) before a :28.1 opening quarter-mile.
After a qualifier-like :58-second half, 7-5 choice Aussie Reactor A (Jordan Stratton) tried it first-up. However, Rockin Glass had a couple of lengths in and out of the 1:25.3 three-quarters and a length and a quarter lead into the lane.
Rockin Glass predictably held comfortably from there, whipping the newly-minted all-age track record-holder Sapphire City (Brent Holland) by a half-length in 1:53.2. That one closed well from last, with Aussie Reactor A, Malicious and One More Laugh (Eric Goodell) grabbing the small change.
For Rockin Glass, a four-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding trained by Cad Gregory for owner Lee Cotroneo, he returned $10.40 (fourth choice) for his 14th win 30 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $66.50, with the triple returning $216.
The $1.8 million New York of Champions is scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 22. Eight $225,000 divisional finals--for two and three-year-old of both sexes and gaits--comprise the richest night of racing in the state.
(Yonkers Raceway)