by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — In weather more suited for mallard than man Friday night (February 6) at Yonkers Raceway, Stephane Bouchard migrated to the winner’s circle — and stayed there.

Yonkers’ leading driver won seven races on the 11 race program (he drove in each one), including the $15,000 co-featured Open Handicap Trot with pocket pal Blastaway Sahbra.

On a formful evening where all of Bouchard’s winners were odds-on favorites, he began by sweeping the $6.50 daily double. The Ken Kaufold-owned and trained Neirda No ($3.20) won the opener, pacing his mile in 2:00³. Abbey’s Legacy ($3.70) then sublet the second race. The seven-year-old mare, owned by Virgie Foster and trained by Tim Case, won her third consecutive race (2:00³).

Bouchard’s third victory — trainer Case’s second — came behind Silk’s Filly PJ ($3.40) in the fourth race. The seven-year-old lass, owned by Stan Bruder, lasted by a short nose in 2:01⁴.

Win number four on Bouchard’s night was in race number five, going the distance with Kehmubelievehim ($3.50) for co-owners Bruce and Edgar Poirier and trainer Matt Medeiros. The nine-year-old gelding found paydirt in 1:59³.

The Bouchard quintet occurred in the sixth race, when dropdown Tequila Spur ($3.40) dominated the Preferred Handicap Trot in 2:09 for the one and one-sixteenth mile distance. The four-year-old, owned by Roy Davis and trained by Mark Ford, earned his second ’04 victory.

The aforementioned Blastaway Sahbra gave Bouchard his sixth success of the evening. Assigned the eight hole (in one notch after last week’s winner, Total Mayhem, was an early scratch), “Blastaway” sat a content two hole to second choice On Tour (Ray Schnittker) in the week’s marquee trot.

After a 1:33 three-quarters over the ooze, “Blastaway” angled out and edged past On Tour by three-quarters of a length in 2:10 for the eight furlongs and a sixteenth. Zorgwijk Bedeviled (Rick Farrington) was third, with Great Thunder (Rejean Daigneault) and Swift Misty (Taylor Gower) earning appearance fees.

Blastaway Sahbra, trained by Ford for co-owners Dean Davis and Brenda Sugg, returned $3.20 for his second consecutive local victory. The exacta paid $6.80, while the triple was worth $38.40.

Friday’s weekly $15,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace went to an impressive Lady Matawai N. With Jeff Gregory (three winners on the card) driving for owner James Kouretas and trainer Ross Croghan, Ms. Matawai went right to the lead from her outside starting location among the seven lasses. She negoatiated the mile in a snappy 1:57, then fought off 21-1 pocket-sitter Mariana’s Trench (Sean Bier) by three-quarters of a length in 2:04² for the mile and a sixteenth. Rights Tulip (Bouchard) was third, with odds-on Royal Gala (Greg Merton) and last week’s leading lass, Magical Leah (Jim Meittinis), also making money.

Lady Matawai N returned $7.00 for her second victory in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $83.50, while the triple paid $462.00.

After Mike Sorentino, Jr. guided the Hugo Iodice-owned Grumpy Gramps ($6.20) to his five consecutive victory in the night’s 10th race (1:59³), Bouchard wrapped up the proceedings with Alison Bay N ($3.50) in the finale. The eight-year-old Down Under ma’am, co-owned by Alan and Lawrence Kittenplan, earned her third consecutive victory (2:07¹).

The Raceway’s Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday night schedule remains in effect for the month of February. 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.