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

Yonkers, NY — The horse may not be what he once was, but Bubba Dunn and Jeff Gregory reunited for a trip down memory lane on Saturday night (September 1) at Yonkers Raceway.

The duo, who combined to win the 2002 Yonkers Trot, joined forces to win the co-featured, $30,000 Open Handicap Trot — which, like that marquee event from five summers ago, was done in wire-to-wire fashion.

With Gregory (three winners on the 10-race card) getting the catch-drive for usual escort Mark Beckwith, Bubba Dunn — in his 100th career start — went the distance. The last time Gregory drove Bubba Dunn was August of 2004 at the Meadowlands.

Leaving from post position three, “Bubba” quickly made the lead, putting up weigh stations of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26.1.

No More Gold N (Keith Kash, Jr.), the upstate scourge with four consecutive victories, offered a valiant, two-move effort, taking up the chase as the 8-5 favorite turning for home. No one else was within shouting distance as Bubba Dunn led by 2-1/4 lengths entering the lane.

He won by an easy 3-3/4 lengths over No More Gold N in 1:56, just one-fifth off the all-age trot track record shared by Impeccable Image and Glidemaster. Astra HS (Eric Abbatiello) was a distant third, with Tasty Max (Tony Morgan) and Nahcotta Jude (Jim Marohn) completing the cashers.

For Bubba Dunn, an 8-year-old Inquirer gelding trained by Melissa Beckwith for owner Ira Kristel, it was his fourth win in a dozen seasonal starts. He returned $16.20 as the fourth choice (career earnings now over $425,000), with the exacta paying $98.50 and the triple returning $534.

Saturday night’s co-featured $30,000 Open ‘Cap Pace went to the classy Image Of Dawn (Pat Lachance, also with three winners on the 10-race card).

Acting as the pocket protector from an inside starting venue, Image Of Dawn sat behind Psilvuheartbreaker (Jim Meittinis) through fractions of :27, :56 and 1:24.2. The leader owned a 1-1/4 length advantage entering the lane, but the legs were getting heavy.

Image Of Dawn ducked inside and went by in mid-stretch — prevailing by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.3 — while Absolut Hall (Jack Baggitt, Jr.) snapped “Heartbreaker” for second at nearly 35-1. Cheyenne Hollywood (Stephane Bouchard) and Anglebrook (Jim Pantaleano) earned the minor moolah.

For Image Of Dawn, an 8-year-old son of Life Sign also owned and trained by Lachance, it was his seventh victory (and 24th pay envelope) in 28 ’07 efforts. The career cash is now more than $665,000.

The exacta (two inside propositions) paid $220, with the triple worth $889.

Live racing is currently offered at Yonkers with six programs per week — Monday through Saturday nights at 7:40 p.m. Harness and thoroughbred simulcasting is available seven days a week, while Empire City’s nearly 5,500 video gaming machines are in play daily from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.