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

Yonkers, NY — A repeating Sell A Bit N (Jordan Stratton, $10.80) finished what she started—barely—Friday night (Feb. 9), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

The first turn was not for the squeamish, with all three inside assignees—Juxta Cowgirl (Dan Dube), Jag Out (Joe Bongiorno) and Betabcool N (Jason Bartlett)—making breaks to one degree or another.

Darragh Riordan photo

Sell A Bit N just hangs on for her second win of the season on Friday evening at Yonkers Raceway.

Sell A Bit N, remanded to outside post position seven, left the gate. She was forced wider around Jag Out’s misdeeds, eventually making the lead before a :28.4 opening quarter-mile. A recovering Betabcool N was away second, with Motu Moonbeam N (George Brennan) third.

After a :58.2 intermission, Motu Moonbeam N moved to challenge, hooking Sell A Bit N in an out of a 1:26.1 three-quarters. Annabeth (Brent Holland), as the 19-10 favorite, lined it up from second-over.

Sell A Bit N and Motu Moonbeam N remained well within the statistical margin of error off the final turn, while their closest foes could not reach. The former, who looked beaten, would not let the latter by, Sell A Bit N stuck her tongue out at the wire in a season’s-best 1:54.2.

A no-excuse Annabeth, Betabcool N and Cousin Mary (Matt Kakaley) settled for the minors.

For fourth choice Sell A Bit N, an 8-year-old Down Under daughter of Julius Caesar owned by Von Knoblauch Stables and trained by Peter Tritton, it was her second win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $89, with the triple returning $240.