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

Yonkers, NY — Krispy Apple (Jason Bartlett, $18.40) usually gets handicapped with an outside venue. So, what happened with a blind draw? She was ‘handicapped’ with an outside venue. No matter as the millionairess took it the distance Friday (Aug. 5) night, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $45,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.

Chris Brokate photo

Krispy Apple collects her fifth 2016 triumph at Yonkers Raceway.

In play from post position seven (in one notch after a defection), she worked around Medusa (catch-driver George Brennan), then never had an anxious moment (:27.3, :56.2, 1:24, 1:51.3).

She easily handled a three-hole-sitting Regil Elektra (Mark MacDonald) by a half-length, with Medusa clearly third. The Kiwis Sell a Bit N (Jordan Stratton) and Sheeza Shark N (Brent Holland) settled for the minors. Mach It A Par (Brian Sears), the 4-5 favorite, never was close to reaching and finished sixth.

For Krispy Apple, an 8-year-old daughter of Western Ideal co-owned by Bamond Racing & Joseph Davino and trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr., it was the fourth choice’s fifth win in 12 seasonal starts (career 45-for-131).

The exacta paid $113, the triple returned $545 and the superfecta paid $1,461.

Special Friday props to Anderlecht, the hard-knocking, 11-year-old gelding who finished second in his 250th career start. Going for a 50th win, he just about survived a first-up bid, missing by a neck in the opener for bottom level ($12,500) claiming pacers.