by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Track announcer John Hernan, said, “Hemi Seelster has fled the scene,” and he did not lie, as the horse (Brent Holland, $9.90) made quick work of 11 rivals Sunday afternoon (May 28), winning Yonkers Raceway’s 1-1/4 mile $68,000 Open Trot.

Gabriela Trmal photo

Hemi Seelster took over at the gate and never relinquished his lead in the Sunday feature at Yonkers Raceway.

Away alertly from post position three, Hemi Seelster stuffed Red Hot Herbie (Dan Dube) in behind coming toward a :27.4 opening quarter-mile. The remaining eight furlongs with fractions of :58, 1:27.2, 1:56.1, 2:24.3 were angst-free, with a final margin of 5-3/4 lengths.

Red Hot Herbie clearly was second, with Money Maven (Eric Goodell) a three-hole third. Second-tier starters Wing Flash (Tyler Buter) and Homicide Hunter (Anthony Napolitano) rounded out the payees, while 5-2 favorite Tag Up And Go (Joe Bongiorno) was a never-in-it ninth and second choice Wings of Royalty (Brian Sears) couldn’t get out his own way.

For third choice Hemi Seelster, a 5-year-old Holiday Road gelding co-owned by Howard Taylor and Abe Basen and trained by Rich Banca, it was his fourth win in 13 seasonal starts. He now has banked over a half-million dollars for his career.

The exacta paid $69, with the triple returning $616.

For Holland, it was career driving win No. 4,993.

The weekly featured trot was the first of four ‘French’ races during the dozen-race, all-trot card.

Sunday’s revival of the ‘New York, New York Double’ saw a winning combination of 9-Bustin’ It, Belmont’s 3rd race and 4-Andy Ray, Yonkers’ seventh race. paid $13.90 for every correct $1 ticket with a total pool of $7,361.

Live racing and evening simulcasting returns Friday, (June 16) with a post time of 7:10 p.m. Afternoon simulcasting remains available, including the June 10 Belmont Stakes