by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — A well-out-of-it Annabeth (Brent Holland, $57) was fastest through the lane Friday night (Jan. 19), winning Yonkers Raceway’s high-condition $25,000 pacing feature for the ladies.
Mike Lizzi photo
Annabeth has now won both of her starts in 2018.
Sitting chilly early from post position seven, Annabeth saw Best of Jenna (Dan Dube) make the first lead before yielding to just-over-even-money fave All About Madi (Jason Bartlett). All About Madi led through intervals of :27.4 and :57.1 before Truth And Liberty (Greg Merton) was out and moving. That one towed 40-1 proposition Pretty Image (Eric Goodell) second-over and Annabeth (Brent Holland) third-over.
All About Madi was a determined leader in and out of a 1:25.4 three-quarters, opening to a length entering the lane. However, she couldn’t stall the fresher femmes. Pretty Image went wider, Annabeth wider and a buried-to-fourth-over Motu Moonbeam N (Matt Kakaley) widest. Annabeth prevailed, whipping Pretty Image by three-quarters of a length in a season’s-best 1:55. Motu Moonbeam N was third, with All About Madi and Truth And Liberty settling for the remainder.
Holland won three of the evening’s dozen races.
For sixth choice Annabeth, a 7-year-old daughter of Shadow Play owned by Joseph Pisarski and trained by William Adamczyk, she’s won both of her seasonal starts. The exacta paid $909, the triple returned $2,280 and the superfecta paid $20,354 from a base $2 payout.