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

Yonkers, NY — Somewhere In L A (Jason Bartlett, $7.70) avoided the third-turn happenstance Saturday night (Aug. 12), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $55,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Passive from assigned post position six, Somewhere in L A watched as Luck Be Withyou (Eric Goodell) won the break, making the lead directly outside of 11-10 favorite Sunfire Blue Chip (Dan Dube).

The former, not in a giving mood, then hung the latter though testy early fractions of :26.1 of :54.3. However, passing the half and moving toward the three-quarters, Lucky Be Withyou had none of his own. He made a filthy break, wiping out himself and the parked-out Sunfire Bluechip.

A three-holed Dynamic Youth (Carl Cito Jr.) then found himself leading at the 1:23.2 three-quarters, but the back markers were closing in. Somewhere In L A rolled wide around Sunfire Blue Chip opening a 1-1/4 lead into the lane.

He won by the same margin in 1:52. Second went to an inside dive of 42-1 Polak A (Greg Merton), with Evenin’ of Pleasure (George Brennan), Bit of a Legend N (Jordan Stratton) and P H Supercam (Brent Holland) rounding out the payees.

For third choice Somewhere In L A, a 6-year-old Somebeachsomewhere co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P & Gandolfo Stables, it was his 10th win in 25 2017 tries.

The exacta paid $139.50, the triple returned $1,163 and the superfecta paid $10,118 (base $2 payout).

Yonkers offers up the fifth of eight consecutive Sunday matinees (Aug. 13), with a first post of 12:30 p.m.