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

Yonkers, NY — Odds-on favorite Ideal Cowboy (Jason Bartlett, $3.60) held off a two-pronged challenge Saturday night (Nov. 28), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Mike Lizzi photo

Ideal Cowboy won a three horse photo in the Yonkers Open.

Remanded outside his seven foes, Ideal Cowboy had a reasonably simple path to the lead. He worked around Texican N (Eric Carlson) and Bigtown Hero (Dan Dube) just before a :27 opening quarter-mile.

From there, came a somnambulant :56.2 half before the leader upped the tempo. A 1:24.1 three-quarters saw Aslan (Brian Sears) taking his shot first-over and Ideal Cowboy owning a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane.

However, with Bigtown Hero edging from the pocket and Texican N darting inside, Ideal Cowboy needed some reminders. He did get the line in time, a 1:52.1 nose in front of Bigtown Hero and a head ahead of Texican N. Aslan and The Real One (Pat Lachance) completed the cashers.

For Ideal Cowboy, a 4-year-old American Ideal gelding trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr. for co-owners Bamond Racing and J&T Silva Stables, it was his ninth win in 24 seasonal tries. The exacta paid $17.60, the triple paid $160.50 and the superfecta paid $530.