by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Favored Lucky Man (Brian Sears) justified his Saturday night (Dec. 3) support, winning Yonkers Raceway’s $38,000 Open Pace.

Sean Hamrock photo

Lucky Man was a 1:59 winner in the Open Pace.

Away third early from post position No. 2, Lucky Man moved around pole-sitting Rojette’s Best (Brent Holland). He grabbed the lead just after a :27.1 opening quarter-mile, then rated a :56.3 half. The soft fractions did nothing for the outer chasers, including a first-up Shooebee’s Place (George Brennan).

Lucky Man found three-quarters in 1:24.2, taking a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane. He hit the mile marker in 1:52, with Rojette’s Best his only threat. That one came up a half-length short, as Lucky Man negotiated the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:59. B J’s Bequia (Jason Bartlett), Foreign Officer (Jim Pantaleano) and Code Word (Yannick Gingras) rounded out the payees.

Lucky Man, a 6-year-old Camluck gelding owned by Thomas Hill and trained by Casie Coleman, returned $4.10 for his fourth win in 23 seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering favorites) paid $10.80, with the triple returning $36.

While the horses were slowing down in the first turn after the race, Rojette’s Best and Foreign Officer appeared to collide, with both Holland — who was unseated — and Pantaleano getting injured. Both were taken to a local hospital and no other information is available at this time. Rojette’s Best was down on the track for several minutes, but did get up.