by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Favored Hemi Seelster (Jason Bartlett, $6.20) atoned for last week’s misbehave this Sunday morning (Nov. 27), winning Yonkers Raceway’s 1-1/4 mile $56,000 Open Handicap Trot.

Chris Brokate photo

Hemi Seelster was a narrow winner in Sunday’s Open Handicap Trot.

In play early (actually, everyone was, since post time was 11:12 a.m.) from post position No. 7, Hemi Seelster had to wait before making the lead. He did so around Centurion ATM (Mark MacDonald) just after a :28.1 opening quarter-mile. Tweet Me (Pat Lachance) was a loose third, while Classical Annie (George Brennan) broke after leaving.

Hemi Seelster then rated a :57.4 half-mile and 1:27.2 three-quarters as last week’s upsetter, Not Afraid (Dan Dube), moved from fourth.

That one couldn’t get close, while a second-up Tornado Tim (catch-driver Jeff Gregory) jumped it off. Hemi Seelster picked it up, getting the mile in 1:55.4 and widening to 2-1/4 lengths in and out of the final turn. He held Centurion ATM at bay, winning by a neck in 2:24.2, a tick faster than his two-week-old local record for this division/distance. Tweet Me was a non-threatening third, easily holding off minor payees Wind Of The North (Brian Sears) and Not Afraid.

For Hemi Seelster, a 4-year-old Holiday Road gelding co-owned by Richard Lombardo, Carl Atley and Robert LeBlanc and trained by Tom Milici, it was his ninth win in 21 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $24.20, with the triple (three wagering choices in order) returning $76.

Sunday’s ‘New York, New York Double’ returned $38 for every correct ‘double nickel’ dollar combination of 5 (Boomerang Toy-Aqueduct’s third race) and 5 (Time Will Tell All-Yonkers’ sixth race). The total pool was $3,505.