by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s pair of Friday night $33,000 Open Handicaps — a pace for the ladies and a trot for all — were won by odds-on favorite Ramalama (Matt Kakaley, $2.90) and a repeating DW’s NY Yank (George Brennan, $4.40).

Mayra Escamilla photo

Ramalama was a 1:55.3 winner in the mares feature.

Starting from post position No. 4 — the best she could have hoped for the way the race was laid out — Ramalama settled in third as Lorrie Please (Eric Carlson) made an immediate lead around pole-sitting Simple Saver N (Tyler Buter). After cheap fractions of :29.3 and :59.4, Ramalama was out and advancing.

The people’s choice engaged Lorrie Please in and out of a 1:28 three-quarters and they were throwing it down through the lane. The fave had to work for it, but she did prevail, edging past Lorrie Please by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.3. Simple Saver N, Magic Starlight N (Brennan) — who gapped the winner down the backside — and Ideal In Vegas (Jordan Stratton) rounded out the payees.

For Ramalama, a 5-year-old statebred daughter of Bettor’s Delight trained by David Duspiva for owner Blue Chip Bloodstock, it was her first win (along with three seconds) in five seasonal starts. The exacta paid $13.80, with the triple returning $116.

The week’s marquee trot — reduced to seven when inside number Likeabatoutahell was ill — was a two-speed number involving the two outside assignees. It was DW’s NY Yank — from post No. 7 — taking over from Zooming (Buter) just after a :28.1 opening quarter-mile. A soft :59 intermission followed, then came pressure from a first-up Bob N Tony (Ron Pierce).

The leader remained so going past a 1:28.2 three-quarters, taking a three-quarter length lead out of the final turn. Zooming ducked inside but missed, beaten a head in 1:57. Backstreet Hanover (Carlson) was a closing third, with Lorenzo Dream (Kakaley) and Bob N Tony settling for the remainder.

For DW’s NY Yank, a 5-year-old Dilbert Hanover gelding co-owned as Burke Racing by trainer Ron Burke, along with Weaver Bruscemi and Howard Taylor, it was his third win in as many ’14 tries. The exacta paid $11, the triple returned $44.60 and the superfecta (four wagering favorites in order) paid $140.