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

Yonkers, NY — The Real One (Pat Lachance, $7.30) and In Secret (George Brennan, $4) were the names above the marquee Saturday night (Sept. 16), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 co-featured Open Handicaps.

All-age track record-holder The Real One prevailed from the second-over in the weekly pacing feature. From post position five (in one notch after a scratch), The Real One saw Orillia Joe (Brent Holland) lead through intervals of :27.4, :56.2 and 1:23.4.

Georgia Panagi photo

The Real One wins the weekly pacing feature at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday night.

Slight 2-1 choice Theartofconfusion A provided enough of a tow to get The Real One in range. Orillia Joe did have a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane, but The Real One went right on by. He prevailed by a half-length in 1:51.4, a tick off his season’s best.

Mister Daytona A (Jordan Stratton) snatched second from the pocket, with Orillia Joe, Theartofconfusion A and Gratian Hanover (Joe Bongiorno) rounded out the payees.

For second choice The Real One, a 7-year-old Mach Three gelding trained by his driver for owner Helene Filion, it was his fourth win in 17 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $30.20, with the triple returning $138.

The week’s marquee trot saw even-money favorite In Secret—despite 20 days out—match his own fastest local mile (1:54.1) of the season.

Away fourth from outside post seven (he, too, in one notch after a scratch), In Secret engaged Buen Camino (Jason Bartlett) after that one put down subsections of :27, :57.1 and 1:25.
Buen Camino owned a 1-1/4 length lead in and out of the final turn, but was unable to stall the people’s preference.

In Secret won by three-quarters of a length, with a second-up Cash Me Out (Eric Goodell) second. Buen Camino, Money Maven (Brian Sears) and Kathanka (Holland) settled for the remainder.

For In Secret, a 5-year-old Dewycheatumnhowe gelding co-owned as Burke Racing by trainer Ron Burke, J&T Silva Stables, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi, it was his eighth win (fourth consecutive) in 19 2017 tries. The exacta paid $21, the triple returned $72.50 and the superfecta paid $170.50.