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

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s Monday night (Oct. 16) program saw any number of usual Saturday races carried over in deference to the $3.3 million all-stakes card of this past weekend.

Mike Lizzi photo

Always At My Place was a narrow winner in the Yonkers Open.

Odds-on Always At My Place (George Brennan, $3.60) barely lasted, winning the $50,000 Open Handicap Pace.

From post position No. 6, he held sway (:27.1, :56.2, 1:23.3, 1:52.2), a desperate nose in front of pocketed Thisjetsabookin’ (Jason Bartlett), with Techtor Hanover (Scott Zeron) arriving late in that photo. Theartofconfusion A (Eric Goodell) and Gratian Hanover (Joe Bongiorno) settled for the remainder.

For repeating Always At My Place, a 6-year-old Always A Virgin gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil Collura, it was his ninth win in 23 seasonal starts (career 36-for-100).

The exacta paid $23, with the triple returning $138.50.