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

Yonkers, NY — A from-last Massive Attack A (Jordan Stratton, $86) blew up Yonkers Raceway’s first femme feature of 2017, Friday the 13th’s $45,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Gabriela Trmal photo

Massive Attack A takes advantage of misadventures by her rivals and rewards her backers with an $86 winning ticket.

Unhurried early from post position three, the rank outsider watched as outside assignee Tessa Seelster (George Brennan) had to work getting around her five inside foes. ‘Tessa’ did just that just after a :27.1 opening quarter-mile, with pole-assigned Motu Moonbeam A (Tyler Buter) protecting the pocket and Velocity Vespa (Matt Kakaley) away third.

She then rated a :29.4 next station (57-second half) before Bettor N Better (Jason Bartlett) moved from fourth.

Things became interesting right around the 1:25.3 three-quarters when the leader—who had all sorts of equipment changes for this race—threatened to break for a handful of steps before losing it altogether.

Tessa Seelster wound up leaving the course soon after as Bettor N Better was defaulted a two-length lead entering the lane. The first-up trip was about to do Bettor N Better in, however, as a second-over, even-money fave Hidden Land (Brent Holland, four winners on the 10-race card) went by.

However, a third-up Massive Attack A made the last lead, rolling from third-up to win by a half-length in 1:54.3. Hidden Land did hold second, with Bettor N Better, Motu Moonbeam N and a placed-fifth Velocity Vespa completing the payees.

Tessa Seelster wound up fifth-placed-sixth for her unscripted dance.

For Massive Attack A, a now-6-year-old Down Under daughter of Advance Attack co-owned by (trainer) William Adamczyk, Alexander Kantonist, Joshua Schwartz and Raymond Hoegen Jr., it was a season-debuting victory. The exacta paid $295, with the triple returning $856.

The bombardier was the prime culprit in Fridays ‘unhit’ Pick-5 wager, so Saturday night’s (Jan. 14) gimmick begins with a carryover of $1,983.53 (50-cent base wager, races six through 10).