by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Blastaway Sahbra, who recovered from a break behind the gate to win last week’s Open Handicap Trot going away, was ordered to the outside for Friday night’s $15,000 co-featured contest at Yonkers Raceway.

Post time for the 11 race card is 7:40 p.m., with the week’s marquee trot going as the 10th race.

Blastaway Sahbra (Stephane Bouchard, post eight), with two wins and two seconds in his last four (Open ‘Cap) efforts, is aiming for an 18th victory of the season. The six-year-old Striking Sahbra gelding, trained by Mark Ford for co-owners Dean Davis and Brenda Sugg, has hit the board in 32 of 43 ’04 efforts, while putting $183,683 away toward retirement. “Blastaway” went past the $600,000 career moolah milestone a couple of starts ago.

True Story (Marcus Johansson, post seven) chased home Blastaway Sahbra last week after that one blind-switched him nearing the three-quarters. The pacing-bred seven-year-old Kentucky Spur gelding, co-owned by a quartet of Pennsylvania connections and trained by Nat Varty, has eight wins and more than $107,000 to his credit this season.

Miss Gibbons (“Doc” Gill, post three) hung Sundance Kid G (Jim Meittinis, post six) through nasty fractions a week ago. Both predictably paid the price, finishing fourth and sixth, respectively. Miss Gibbons wired lesser two starts ago, while Sundance Kid G was a 17-1 upset winner in an Open Handicap event the same night.

Roadshow Hall (Jeff Gregory, post five) has been third in his last two tries — here and upstate — after winning a local Open Handicap in mid-November. Like True Story, “Roadshow” tries for his ninth ’04 victory.

Rustico Ben (Driver TBA, post four) has been thrice third in his last four tries, while Mysterious Caller (Mike Forte, post one) earned the final pay envelope in last week’s featured trot.

Gumcorner Vic (Driver TBA, post two) gets a promotion after wiring a high-conditioned crowd a week ago, his first victory for his new connections.

Friday night’s $15,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace (ninth race) –returning after a three-week hiatus — has Lady Matawai N (Gregory, post eight) assigned outside of her seven foes.

The six-year-old Down Under daughter of Tuapeka Knight, owned by James Kouretas and trained by Ross Croghan, has a dozen wins in her 32 ’04 tries. However, she tired to seventh last week in central Jersey, her first off the board effort in her last 10 tries dating to late July.

Weeping Wanabe (Bouchard, post seven) makes her first local parimutuel appearance since late March, when she won an Open ‘Cap. The five-year-old Artsplace miss, trained by Ford for co-owners Frank Dettore and Ed Mullinax, has banked just over $330,000 in her career…a remarkably similar figure to Ms. Matawai.

Sandra G (Mark Beckwith, post six) slapped around lesser in her local debut — just her second win in 28 seasonal tries — while Mariana’s Trench (Greg Merton, post five) has four seconds and a pair of thirds in her last half-dozen work nights.

Magical Leah (Meittinis, post one), Random Luck (Driver TBA, post two), Alison Bay N (Johansson, post three) and Who Dat (Mike Sorentino, Jr., post four) complete the co-feature lineup.

Friday’s evening simulcast schedule includes the Meadows (post time 6:40), Northfield (7:00), Saratoga (7:00), Penn National (7:20), Rosecroft (7:20), Meadowlands (7:30) and Maywood (8:40).

Yonkers’ current four night per week schedule (Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday) has a first post of 7:40 p.m. Afternoon simulcasting continues to be offered around the NYRA schedule.

December ‘s evening/harness simulcast schedule includes Freehold Raceway, Lebanon Raceway, Meadowlands, the Meadows, Monticello Raceway, Northfield Park, Northville Downs, Penn National, Pompano Park, Raceway Park, Rosecroft Raceway and Saratoga Raceway.

For more information, or to obtain a calendar, please contact the Raceway at (914) 968-4200.