Veterans Binions and Grain Of Truth shared Yonkers Raceway glory Friday night, winning the $30,000 co-featured Open Handicaps.
Binions (Greg Grismore) went to the house in the Filly and Mare Open 'Cap Pace, leading at every pylon en route to a 1:54 effort.
Leaving from Post 4, Binions found the big chair in a hurry, with Miss Galvinator A (Stephane Bouchard) wide into an early pocket. Binions led through a :28.2 opening quarter-mile, :58 intermission and 1:26.2 three-quarters. Whambam N (Steve Smith) challenged first-over, with Mind Boggling (Jim Pantaleano) behind that one.
Binions, a length and a quarter to the good turning for home, held sway by a length. Miss Galvinator A chased home the victress, with Mind Boggling, Whambam N and J K Pure Pearl (Jason Bartlett) completing the cashers.
For Binions, a five-year-old statebred daughter of Bettors Delight and now over the $300,000 career cash plateau, she returned $7.80 for her fourth win in 14 seasonal starts. Mickey Burke trains for Newman Racing Stable.
Grain Of Truth (Jeff Gregory) methodically moved up and over No More Gold N (Keith Kash Jr.) to win the weekly featured trot for a second consecutive victory and third win in the last four tries. He had begun his season winless in 14.
No More Gold N, leaving from Post 2, led through fractions of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:27.4, taking a length advantage into the lane. Grain Of Truth, edging from third near the three-quarters, challenged in earnest early stretch, then disposed of the leader.
Winnin Image (Grismore) couldn't match strides with the leading duo from the pocket while Grain Of Truth was finishing his assignment. He prevailed by a length in 1:57, a season's purse-start best. Victors Vicky (Jordan Stratton) and The Federalist (Bouchard) grabbed the minor cheques.
For Grain Of Truth, a seven-year-old Self Possessed gelding co-owned by Charles and Giogran Iannazzo and trained by trot master Ray Schnittker, it was his third in 18 '08 tries. He paid $8.40.
(Yonkers)