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

Yonkers, NY — Favorites Melady’s Monet (Jason Bartlett, $2.90) and Somewhere in L A (Bartlett again, $4.40) delivered the goods Saturday (May 13) night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s ‘sloppy’ pair of $55,000 co-features.

Mike Lizzi photo

Melady’s Monet trots to his fourth win from seven seasonal starts in a co-featured event at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday evening.

Melady’s Monet—from post position five—took down the week’s marquee trot. Down the backside the second time, he caught the parked-out Not Afraid (Dan Dube) after that one was rebuffed by pole-sitting Dewcolorintheline (Jordan Stratton).

After early intervals of :28.1 and :58.2, Melady’s Monet launched his wide bid, engaging Dewycolorintheline in and out of a 1:27.2 three-quarters. Buen Camino (Brian Sears) found himself perched behind Melady’s Monet but could not match strides.

Melady’s Monet opened a length lead into the lane, then widened to 2-1/2 lengths at the (1:56.3) wire. Buen Camino did wind up second, with 29-1 rank outsider Luck O The Irish (catch-driver Steve Smith) third. Covert Operative (Brent Holland) and a tiring Deweycolorintheline grounded out the payees.

For Melady’s Monet, a millionaire 8-year-old Revenue S gelding owned by Melady Enterprises and trained by Kevin McDermott, it was his fourth win (44th career) in seven seasonal starts. The exacta paid $15, with the triple returning $133.

Somewhere in L A made short work of his seven inside rivals, winning the weekly featured pace by three lengths in 1:53.2. Paying a three-wide price to take the lead, he did so at a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. The rest was simple (:56.4, :1:24.3), made simpler when 41-1, pole-sitter Western Rockstar A (Dan Dube) decided to race first-up.

Texican N (Stratton) raced second, offering good pace at both ends of the mile. Third went to Betterlatethnnever (catch-driver Jeff Gregory), with locally-debuting Mister Daytona N (Andy McCarthy) tiring in the pocket to fourth. Badiou Hanover (Brent Holland) took care of the rest.

For millionaire Somewhere in L A, a 6-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Richard Banca for co-owners D’elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P and Gandolfo Stables, it was his seventh win in 16 2017 attempts. The exacta paid $23, the triple returned $129.50 and the superfecta paid $373.50.