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

Yonkers, NY — Taco Tuesday (Jordan Stratton, $23.40) did his damage from second-over Sunday afternoon (Aug. 6), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $68,000 Open Handicap Trot.

Floating out of the gate from post position six, Taco Tuesday found a home fifth while 19-10 choice Hemi Seelster (Jason Bartlett) walked to the lead. Overcoming his assigned eight-hole, Hemi Seelster was issue-free through pokey early fractions of :29.1 and :59 and 1:28.4.

Georgia Panagi photo

Taco Tuesday wins the featured event at Yonkers Raceway on Sunday.

Down the backside the final time, Buen Camino (Scott Zeron) took out of fourth, confronting Hemi Seelster as the pace of this trot picked up. After a 1:57.1 milepost, Hemi Seelster owned a shortening lead into the lane as Buen Camino was about to win the battle…but lose the war.

Taco Tuesday, towed into it by Buen Camino, appreciated the gesture so much, he rolled right over him. Taco Tuesday won by a length, over the 1-1/4 mile going in 2:26.3. Hemi Seelster faded to third, with Sumatra (Eric Goodell) and Georgie’s Pockets (Joe Bongiorno) settling for the minors.

For eighth choice in the field of nine, Taco Tuesday, a 4-year-old Cantab Hall gelding owned by Vincent Laurenzo and trained by Rob Harmon, it was his sixth win in 14 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $107, the triple returned $489.50 and the superfecta paid $8,476.

Sunday’s installment of the ‘New York, New York Double’ offered a winning combination of 6-Rally Cry (Saratoga’s third race) and 4-Tarot (Yonkers’ seventh race) paid $11.80 for every correct $1 wager. Total pool was $7,977.

Note the Raceway’s post time next Sunday (Aug. 13) is 12:30 p.m.