Rock N Soul, Second Hand News win Yonkers co-features

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s usual Friday night pair of $44,000 co-featured Opens — this week handicapped for distaff pacers, but not for trotters — were won by a repeating Rock N Soul (Jason Bartlett, $15.40) and favored Second Hand News (Brian Sears, $3.60).

Justin Grasso photo

Rock N Soul was a winner in 1:52.2.

Rock N Soul, remanded outside her seven rivals, tucked in fourth as Keeper’s Destiny (Mark MacDonald) made the lead around Ticket To Rock (Cat Manzi) right at a :26.4 opening quarter-mile. Rock N Soul was out and moving again in turn two, powering past Keeper’s Destiny before a :55.4 intermission.

Shaky Hanover (Sears) tried her luck first-up going toward the 1:24 three-quarters, but never seriously threatened. That left Rock N Soul with a 1-1/2 length lead entering the lane. She then held off Keeper’s Destiny by a half-length in 1:52.2, matching her previous season’s best. A belated, 2-1 fave Naughtytiltheend (Brent Holland) was third, with Ticket To Rock and Shaky Hanover completing the cashers.

Rock N Soul, a 5-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Howard Taylor and Frank Baldachino, posted her fifth win (as the fourth choice) in 21 2012 tries. The exacta paid $62.50, with the triple returning $112.50.

Leaving from post position three, Second Hand News had minimal issues, working past inside number E L Rock (Daniel Dube) and putting up early intervals of :28.3 and :58.3. Grain Of Truth (Eric Goodell) was out from fourth, but barely trotting in place, passing a 1:27.1 three-quarters.

Second Hand News opened to a pair of lengths turning for home, then defeated E L Rock by a measured neck in 1:55.3. Celebrity Bluechip (Bartlett), KLM Express (Steve Smith) and MM’s Lucky Boy (Holland) rounded out the payees.

Second Hand News, a 10-year-old Pathway To Victory gelding co-owned (as Foulk Stables) by trainer Clarence Foulk and Gary Evans, posted his sixth win (second consecutive) in 16 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $36.80, the triple returned $120.50 and the superfecta paid $600.

— Frank Drucker

Tioga Downs
Blackjack Princess and Jimmy Marohn, Jr. took home Friday night’s $18,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace at Tioga Downs. Leaving from post position four in a field of eight, Marohn put Blackjack Princess on the front end by an opening quarter of :27.1. Marohn then used a :30 breather in the second quarter before stepping on the gas down the backside to reach three-quarters in 1:24.4. Around the final turn Blackjack Princess opened up on the field to pace away and win in a new lifetime best of 1:52.2. It was the second win of the year for the 3-year-old daughter of Cam’s Card Shark–Happy Doris who is trained by Mark Ford for owner Robert Di Nozzi. Runaway Tray (Fern Paquet, Jr.) finished second, while Forty Three (Phil Fluet) closed late for third. Marohn, Tioga Downs’ leading driver, posted a five bagger on the night’s 10-race card.

Batavia Downs
A three-wide sweeping move on the final turn proved to be a “winning” one for Vicky Winner as she came from behind to capture the featured $6,000 Fillies and Mares Open II Trot at Batavia Downs Friday night. Sitting in fourth place, but second over at the three-quarter pole, driver Dan Dylo started the three-wide maneuver and passed the tempo-setting Xiao Xiang and won by a length in 1:59.4. Herbedaone (Ray Fisher, Jr.) rallied for second place while the 3-2 favorite, Emily Rose Hanover (Shawn Gray), finished third. It was the fourth win of the season for Vicky Winner and increased her bankroll to $17,245 in 2012. Besides driving the winner, Dylo owns the 5-year-old mare while Dennis Dylo trains.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Invader Nearly Uncle (CR Excalibur) charged hard late to secure the victory in Saratoga’s feature on Friday night. Leading driver Billy Dobson sat behind the 5-year-old trotter for owner-trainer Ted Berry as they fanned off cover in the stretch to record the 1:57.3 victory in the evening’s $14,000 Open-2. Nearly Uncle secured what most likely was the biggest win of his career while stepping up in company in his return to the Spa, where he has competed occasionally in the past. Fellow invader In Nomine Patri (Wally Hennessey) closed for second while Crestwood Patriot (Jim Devaux) earned the show spot.