Yonkers, NY — The next time Melady’s Monet (George Brennan, $3.90) throws in a bad race would probably be the first time Melady’s Monet throws in a bad race. It was career win No. 63 (in start No. 207) for Melady’s Monet Saturday night (Feb. 22), taking down Yonkers Raceway’s $35,000 Preferred Handicap Trot.

Melady’s Monet captured Yonkers Raceway’s $35,000 Preferred Handicap Trot. Mike Lizzi photo.

Melady’s Monet — the odds-on favorite from assigned post position No. 7 — left around both Lean Hanover (Jim Marohn Jr.) and Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Dube). Once on the point, Melady’s Monet finished what he started (:27.2, :57.3, 1:26, season’s-best 1:54.3). Pappy Go Go (Jason Bartlett) tried it first-up from last among those trotting, but tired.

Meanwhile, Melady’s Monet owned a pair of lengths in and out of the final turn, then whipped Lean Hanover by a length. Third went to Mostinterestingman (Austin Siegelman), with Smalltownthrowdown and Money Maven (Brent Holland) rounding out the payees.

For Melady’s Monet, an 11-year-old homebred Revenue S gelding owned by Melady Enterprises and trained by Hermann Heitmann, it was his second win in six seasonal starts (career earnings in excess of $1.64 million). The exacta paid $17.80, with the triple returning $101.50.

Saturday night’s $40,000 Open Handicap Pace saw outsider Tookadiveoffdipper (Jordan Stratton, $37.80) beat both the gate and his half-dozen rivals.

From post No. 6, Tookadiveoffdipper left to immediate command, well before a :27.1 opening quarter-mile. Season-debuting Mac’s Jackpot (Holland), as the 19-10 second choice, was able to get into a pocket. It was an antsy two-hole that he tried to vacate between a :56.2 intermission and 1:24 three-quarters.

However, Tookadiveoffdipper stood his ground, taking a 1-3/4 length lead into the lane. He held Mac’s Jackpot at bay, the final margin a half-length in a ’20-best 1:52.2. San Domino A (Dube), the 17-10 choice, was a belated third, with Jack’s Legend N (Bartlett) and Rockapelo (Brennan) settling for the smaller envelopes.

For sixth choice Tookadiveoffdipper, a 6-year-old Always a Virgin gelding co-owned by Jane and Mark Cross and trained by Virgil Morgan Jr., it was his third win in six ’20 tries. The exacta paid $92, the triple returned $433 and the superfecta paid $850.

Saturday props as well to 12-year-old, $1.4 million number Great Vintage (Holland $8.30), who earned his 53rd career win in the $22,000 fourth-race pace (1:53.1).