'Twas the night before the Messenger Stakes, and with all of Westchester County in total exuberance, Yonkers Raceway offered up a pair of $40,000 co-features to keep those emotions in abeyance.
Omen Hanover went the distance in the Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace. Dan Dabe catch-drove after trainer (and usual driver) Eric Abbatiello was hurt in a Freehold accident earlier in the day.
Leaving from post position No. 4 as the 9-5 favorite, "Omen" made the lead before hanging Ezpz Lemonsqueezy (Jeff Gregory). The leader sat sail through comfort stations of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.4. She owned a length-and-a-half advantage into the lane, needing only to hold off the pocket-protecting Ashland Blue (Greg Grismore).
It was indeed a good "Omen," getting to the line by three-quarters of length in 1:54.1. Tootsie Roll Bay (Larry Stalbaum), Best Chance Hanna (Pat Lachance) and Longshot Linda (Cat Manzi) also came away with coinage.
For Omen Hanover, a four-year-old daughter of Western Hanover owned by KDM Stables, she returned $5.60 for her eighth win in 36 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $34, with the triple good for $294.
Light Headed also responded well to a pinch-hitter - in this case, his owner. Sam Caruso Jr. did the honors himself in the Open Trot as Jason Bartlett was involved in the same accident as Abbatiello.
In play early from post No. 3, Light Headed worked out a two-hole trip behind Haste (Mike Forte). That one slugged it out with the protracted bid of Yankee Nola (Jim Pantaleano) with intervals of :28.3, 58.2 and 1:27.4. Haste took Light Headed where that one needed to go, and he edged by.
Light Headed prevailed by a neck in 1:58.2, with Haste, Yankee Nola, 9-5 choice Four Starz Credit (Dube) and Its Coast Time (Manzi)
grabbing the balance. For Light Headed, a four-year-old S Js Caviar gelding trained by Bruce Saunders, he paid $12.60 (third choice) for his eighth win in 23 '08 tries. The exacta returned $56, with the triple returning $288.
Saturday night will feature the Messenger, with world champions Somebeachsomewhere and Shadow Play colliding. Between the two of them, they have nearly $2.5 million in '08 earnings and stakes wins in the North America Cup, Confederation Cup, Adios, Little Brown Jug and Windy City Pace.
Then, there are the world records - Somebeachsomewhere's fastest race mile ever by a three-year-old (1:46.4) and Shadow Play's two-heat romp at the Jug (combined 3:40.1).
The final jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown, worth $650,000, goes as the 10th race on the 13-race card. First post is 6:50 p.m., with the feature set for approximately 10 p.m.
Here is the complete field for the 53rd Messenger Stakes, with drivers and morning-line odds:
1-Legacy N Diamonds (George Brennan, 12-1)
2-Brother Ray (Jason Bartlett, 15-1)
3-Dali (Pat Lachance, 20-1)
4-Santanna Blue Chip (Tony Morgan, 12-1, coupled with Legacy N Diamonds)
5-Shadow Play (Dave Miller, 5-2)
6-Somebeachsomewhere (Paul MacDonell, 1-2)
Saturday night's undercard is led by the $381,030 final of the Lady Maud, for three-year-old pacing fillies (Race 9).
1-Artimittateslife (Stephane Bouchard, 7-5)
2-Cheyenne Trish (Jim Meittinis, 5-1)
3-Happy Dreamer (Andy Miller, 6-1)
4-See and Be Seen (George Brennan, 10-1)
5-Sand Pleasure (Bartlett, 12-1)
6-Stylish Artist (Dave Miller, 4-1)
7-Thong (Morgan, 10-1, coupled with See and Be Seen)
8-Hannah Isabel (Yannick Gingras, 8-1)
A pair of $100,000 invitational's - the Oleg Cassini Trot (Race 8) and the Hudson Valley Pace (Race 11) - are also on the program.
(With files from Yonkers)