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

Yonkers, NY — One horse who figured (Melady’s Monet-Jason Bartlett-$5) and one who didn’t (Big N Bad-Eric Carlson-$116.50) hogged the headlines Saturday night (Oct. 3), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $48,000 co-features.

Mayra Escamilla photo

Melady’s Monet was a narrow winner at the wire in the featured trot.

A from-last Melady’s Monet won the Open Handicap Trot, prevailing in a three-horse photo over Zooming (Tyler Buter) and pace-setting, 13-10 favorite Luminosity (George Brennan).

That one was out a long way before making the lead from Not Afraid (Dan Dube). Quick early intervals of :27.4 and :56.3 softened Luminosity up, so even a :29.1 third quarter (1:25.3) and a two length lead into the lane weren’t enough.

Melady’s Monet, sent outside his six rivals, closed from third-over. He picked off Zooming by a head in 1:55.3, with Luminosity fading to third, beaten a half-length. World Cup (Brent Holland) and Sevruga (Pat Lachance) were best-of-the-rest, minor money entities.

For second choice Melady’s Monet, a 6-year-old Revenue S gelding trained by Kevin McDermott for owner Melady Enterprises, it was his 11th win in 23 seasonal starts (season earnings over $300,000, career in excess of $700,000). The exacta paid $43.60, with the triple returning $174.

The weekly pacing feature, a blind draw this time around, did no favors for Big N Bad. No problem. Leaving hard from the eight-hole, he was forced even wider when Crombie A (Holland) pulled the pocket early.

Undaunted, Big N Bad found the lead and kept going (:26.4, :55.4, 1:23.4, 1:51.4). After racing his eyeballs out a week ago only to get nailed late, Big N Bad closed the sale here, defeating a cone-skimming The Real One (Lachance) by a neck. Third went to Crombie A, with Dynamic Youth (Brennan) and Sapphire City (Jordan Stratton) settling for the small change.

Great Vintage (Dube), as the 6-5 favorite, couldn’t get out of his own way at the outset and finished last.

For seventh choice Big N Bad, a 5-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding trained by Jennifer Sabot for owner Vincent Laurenzo, it was his eighth win in 26 seasonal tries. The exacta paid $1,314, with the triple returning $12,955.

With a Pick-5 sequence that featured win prices of $19, $116.50 and $53, shockingly the gimmick wasn’t hit. So Monday night, which already offers a $10,000 guaranteed pool, begins with a carryover of $6,537.25 (50-cent base wager, races seven through 11, program pages at www.yonkersraceway.com).