Rockathon, Weslynn Dancer win Yonkers features

Yonkers, NY — Rockathon (Jordan Stratton, $10.80) and Weslynn Dancer (Matt Kakaley, $33.80) divided the distinction Saturday night (Feb. 2) winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $44,000 Open Handicaps.

Rockathon captured one of two co-featured events at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday. Jonathan Paredes photo.

Pole-assigned Rockathon seated his adult-table pacing elders, including just-over-even-money favorite Air Strike (Brent Holland). After early intervals of :27.2 and :56.1, Air Strike took out of third, mildly engaging by a 1:24.3 three-quarters.

Rockathon owned a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane, but a stubborn Air Strike wound not go quietly into the night. He did sustain the bid, but missed a half-length in 1:53.2. Betttor’s Fire N (Ron Cushing) rolled from last to grab third, with a pocketed Our Zak Whitby A (George Brennan) and a tough-trip Christen Me N (Kakakey) settling for the remainder.

For third choice Rockathon, a 4-year-old Pet Rock gelding co-owned by (trainer) Ricky Bucci and Blue Meadow Farm, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal starts. The exacta paid $30.80, the triple returned $494 and the superfecta paid $3,065.

The marquee trot saw 3-10 choice Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Dube) get stung early by Mostinterestingman (Troy Beyer) through a :27.2 opening quarter-mile. He then rated a :29.2 next substation (:56.4 intermission), but the damage had been done.

Weslynn Dancer—from assigned post position four—and Melady’s Monet (Stratton) began to advance from the back, getting some inroads in and out of a 1:25.3. Smalltownthrowdown took a 1-1/4 length lead off the final turn, but was tiring.

Lone lass Weslynn Dancer went by, as did Melady’s Monet with the former prevailing by a short nose in the fastest local trot mile of the season. Smalltownthrowdown faded to third, with Lily’s Swan Pond (Joe Bongiorno) and Mostinterestingman flipping the final two envelopes after an interference placement.

For fourth choice Weslynn Dancer, a 5-year-old daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe co-owned by Barbara & James Boese and trained by Richard Banca, it was her first win in three 2019 tries.

The exacta paid $121.50, the triple returned $316.50 and the superfecta paid $3,133.

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