Bit Of A Legend wins Saturday feature at Yonkers
November 18, 2017,by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Odds-on Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton, $3.60) won the scrum for the lead and eventually the ‘moist’ race Saturday night (Nov. 18), annexing Yonkers Raceway’s $40,000 Open Pace.
With half the field leaving the gate, it was Bit Of A Legend N—from post position four–making the lead around Orillia Joe (Brent Holland) before a :27.3 opening quarter-mile. Scott Rocks (Eric Goodell) left outside Bit Of A Legend N and settled for a three-hole, while Dr. J Hanover (Dan Dube) left outside of everyone and broke.
Bit Of A Legend N found a :57.2 intermission, then threw down a :27.2 third quarter (1:24.4) to fend off the second move of Scott Rocks. The people’s preference had a couple of lengths into the lane, then disposed of his rival by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.1.
Blood Brother (Jason Bartlett), Scott Rocks and a flat-from-second-over The Real One (Pat Lachance) rounded out the payees.
For Bit Of A Legend N, an 8-year-old Down Under son of Bettor’s Delight owned by Harry von Knoblauch Stable and trained by Peter Tritton, it was his eighth win in 27 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $32.60, with the triple returning $263.50.
Reminder that first post for Sunday’s (Nov. 19) matinee goes at 11:45 a.m.
- Rare rail draw for The Real One Saturday at Yonkers (Friday, November 17, 2017)
The Real One, the all-age track record holder at Yonkers is coming off a win in last week’s Open as the 9-5 favorite. Pat Lachance, longtime trainer-driver of the Mach Three gelding, could take credit for the Hilltop success of the lifetime winner of $904,593. Instead, the horseman defers praise to owner Helene Fillion, who is understanding of The Real One’s off-the-pace style and doesn’t pressure Lachance to take the horse out of his comfort zone.