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

Yonkers, NY — Favorites Mach It So (Jason Bartlett, $4.10) and Wind Of The North (also Bartlett, also $4.10) prevailed Saturday night (Nov. 5), winning Yonkers Raceway’s pair of $45,000 Open Handicaps.

Jelena Gerga photo

Mach It So posted a 1:50.2 win in the Open Handicap Pace.

Mach It So won a two-speed number in the weekly pacing feature. From post position No. 4, he released, then stalked, Keystone Velocity (Dan Dube) through intervals of :27.1, :55.3 and 1:23.

With Keystone Velocity bearing up noticeably through the lane, Mach It So had ample room to close, which he did, winning by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:50.2. Take It Back Terry (George Brennan) was a ground-saving third, with The Real One (Pat Lachance) and Santa Fe Beachboy (Brian Sears) competing the cashers.

For Mach It So, a $1.5 million-earning, 6-year-old Mach Three gelding owned by Bamond Racing and trained by Jeffrey Bamond Jr., it was his eighth win in 25 seasonal starts. The exacta (two wagering choices) paid $9.90, the triple returned $58 and the superfecta paid $747.

The week’s marquee trot saw Wind Of The North (from post No. 7) pay a :27.3 opening quarter price for the lead. He then parked out eight-hole number Bourbon Bay (Ake Svanstedt) through a :56.3 intermission before that one pulled up stakes.

After a 1:25.4 three-quarters, Wind Of The North opened some room, taking 2-1/2 lengths into the lane. He needed just about all of it, holding off the cavalry late. Tornado Tim (Dube), last at the half and seventh at the three-quarters, stormed to miss by a half-length in 1:54.3. Cash Me Out (Tyler Buter) was a pocket third, with Springbank Sam N (Jordan Stratton) and Luminosity (Brennan) settling for the remainder.

For Wind Of The North, a 6-year-old Cantab Hall gelding trained by Dylan Davis for co-owners Daryl Bier and Joann Dombeck, it was his sixth win in 23 ’16 tries. The exacta paid $31.80, with the triple returning $105.