by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Something For Doc (Matt Kakaley) finished what he started Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $35,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Jelena Gerga photo

Something For Doc was a 1:52.3 winner on Saturday.

Assigned penultimate post position No. 7, Something For Doc — as is his custom — had his nose on the gate. He made the lead around locally-debuting Intheblinkofaneye (Jason Bartlett) right after a :27.3 opening quarter-mile.

A rated :29 next quarter (:56.3 half) served Something For Doc well as slight 2-1 choice Roadway (George Brennan) — making his Open Handicap bow — took up the chase.

It turned into a match race by the 1:24.2 three-quarters, with Intheblinkofaneye tiring in the pocket and nothing hanging with Roadway in the outer tier.

Something For Doc owned a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane, then edged away from a pesky Roadway by 2-3/4 lengths. The 1:52.3 effort matched the fastest local mile of 2013. Here We Go Again (Eric Goodell), Silent Swing (Mark MacDonald) and Intheblinkofaneye rounded out the payees.

Something For Doc, a 5-year-old Western Hanover gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Strollin Stable, returned $16.20 (fifth choice) for his second win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $59, with the triple returning $436.

Saturday’s feature was one of four consecutive victories by Kakaley, the last three of which were trained by Burke. Jack Franklin also trained three winners on the 12-race card.