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

Yonkers, NY — Keeper’s Destiny (Eric Goodell), ordered behind a Friday night eight ball, was sharp in winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $33,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Keeper’s Destiny scored in 1:55 in the Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

The 3-2 choice dropped in fourth as Arctic Fire N (James Rattray) led through early fractions of :28.3 and :58.3. Keeper’s Destiny was then out and moving, engaging the leader in and out of the 1:25.4 three-quarters. Arctic Fire N was about to end her evening early in the lane, with Keeper’s Destiny taking over.

That one edged away in a slow final stanza, defeating a pocket-sitting Kayla’s Dream (Mark MacDonald) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55. Fox Valley Sage (Cat Manzi), Ramona Disomma (Jordan Stratton) and Naughytiltheend (Brent Holland) earned the minor spoils.

Keeper’s Destiny, a 6-year-old daughter of Intrepid Seelster co-owned by (trainer) Casie Coleman and Merlin Howse (also the co-breeders), returned $5.10 for her third win in six seasonal starts. The exacta paid $35.80, with the triple returning $166.50.

Friday night’s co-featured $33,000 Open Handicap Trot saw Fox Valley Iliad (Larry Stalbaum) throw down the gauntlet with a life-best effort and the fastest local trotting mile of the season.

Tom Berg photos

Fox Valley Iliad won the Open Handicap Trot in 1:56.

Assigned post position No. 5, it was far from an odyssey for Fox Valley Iliad. He rolled past intervals of :27.1 and :57, all the while parking out last week’s winner, H and M’s Hit (Stratton). Son Of Nordic (Eric Goodell) went behind, then around, that one, as Fox Valley Iliad found three-quarters in 1:27.

Never threatened, he defeated a loose pocket-sitting Flex The Muscle (Jeff Gregory) by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:56. Son Of Nordic, Stand Guard (MacDonald) and Schalom G (Cat Manzi) rounded out the payees.

Fox Valley Iliad, a 4-year-old son of Vaporize co-owned (with Mike Sorentino, Jr.) and trained by Stalbaum, returned $4.40 for his first win in six ’12 tries. The exacta paid $36.60, the triple returned $147.50 and the superfecta paid $1,190.