by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Friday’s (January 23) pair of $15,000 Open Handicaps at Yonkers saw Blastaway Sahbra and Get Over Lil find the holy grail in different–but effective–ways.

The weekly featured trot offered a field of seven, with Blastaway Sahbra (Stephane Bouchard) starting outside of his six rivals. “Blastaway” blasted away from the car, grabbing the lead before a :29² opening quarter-mile.

Blastaway Shabra then yielded for a seat behind Madison’s Tuition (Rick Farrington, three winners Friday), who recovered from a fumbly beginning to get the lead right at the 1:00¹ half.

Total Mayhem (Jeff Gregory) offered a serious first-up challenge, prompting the action through a :29¹ third divide. Madison’s Tuition maintained a tenuous, half length lead entering the lane, but Blastaway Sahbra took his shot up the cones.

The pocket-sitter outgamed a stubborn Total Mayhem to prevail by a hard-fought head in 2:00¹. On Tour (Greg Merton) grabbed third, while “Madison” and Danzig (Jim Marohn) completed the cashers.

Dink Adoo (Jim Marshall III), last week’s winner and this week’s even-money favorite, was a non-factor seventh.

Blastaway Sahbra, a six-year-old Striiking Sahbra gelding, paid $5.80 as the second choice for his second win in four seasonal starts. Mark Ford trained the winner for co-owners Dean Davis and Brenda Sugg. The exacta paid $18.60, with the triple worth $126.50.

Friday’s distaff derby saw Get Over Lil and her date Farrington get to the prom at just the right moment.

The pair were nothing more than wallflowers for much of the mile as odds-on favorite Casino Miss (Bouchard) led the seven lass ball through fractions of :27⁴, :58¹ and 1:27³.

However, as we in New York have come to learn, “Casino” and “race track” don’t mix…yet. This Miss could not handle a two length lead turning for home and was tackled by Lady Matawai N (Gregory). That one appeared home, until “Lil” closed like a shot on the far outside.

The other lasses saved the last dance for “Lil,” who roared from last to win by a half length in 1:58¹. Lady Matawai N was second, while Royal Gala (Merton) was third. Casino Miss and Mariana’s Trench (Marohn) also danced for dough.

Get Over Lil, a five-year-old daughter of Walton Hanover, paid $30.20 for her first win in two ’04 tries. “Lil” led a $104 exacta and $668 triple.

The victress, co-owned by Lawrence Kovacs and Linda Condon and trained by Sonny Dancer, put together a career season in ’03 in both wins (10) and earnings ($104,388).

The Raceway’s Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday night schedule remains in effect for the first two months of the new year. First post remains at the usual 7:40 p.m.

Please note that the Raceway is not open Thursday evening for simulcasting as originally scheduled. Afternoon simulcasting continues to be offered around the NYRA schedule.