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

Yonkers, NY — Favored Mostinterestingman (Jordan Stratton, $4.40) was the third and last leader Sunday afternoon (Aug. 5), winning Yonkers Raceway’s featured $54,800 Open Handicap Trot.

The weekly trotting feature went as the early-p.m. opener, the first of a 10-race, all-trot card. Nine of ‘em were at the overflow field, 1-1/4 mile ‘French’ theme.

Mike Lizzi photo

Mostinterestingman wins the Sunday feature at Yonkers Raceway.

Away alertly from post position No. 6, Mostinterestingman has to wait his turn. Inside rivals Fashion Creditor (Andy Miller) left, as did lass NF Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr.) It was after a 28-second opening quarter-mile that Mostinterestingman made the lead from the mare. He then found a :56.2 half and 1:25.3 three-quarters with the other ma’am, longshot Weslynn Dancer (Jason Bartlett) fighting the first-over fight.

The 44-1 prompter hung in there while Mostinterestinman found a 1:54.2 milepost. He owned a 1-1/4 length lead into the lane, with NF Happenstance angling out. That one couldn’t reach, as Mostinterestingman prevailed by a 1-3/4 lengths, getting the added distance in 2:24.1

Fashion Creditor, who left the cones, offered a solid close to get third, with Cash Me Out (Jim Maroh Jr.) and Such An Angel (Brian Sears) coming away with the minors.

For Mostinterestingman, a 5-year-old Manofmanymissions co-owned by (trainer) Ricky Bucci and Richard Solano, it was his sixth win in 26 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $26, the triple returned $108 and the superfecta paid $393.50.

Sunday’s card also featured the opening round for the French-American Trotting Club Series. A pair of $35,000 events for French-bred trotters that were purchased by ‘local’ interests.
The first event went to a down-the-road Alpha D’Urzy (Brent Holland, $12.20) in 2:26.4, his fourth win in as many North American starts.

The second Club event saw odds-on Ursis Des Caillons (Joe Bongiorno, $3.40) draw away from Undici (Steve Smith) in 2:26.2.

“Good manners and quick-footed,” Bongiorno said. “He opened up easily and I never took the ear plugs out.”

Sunday’s latest installment of the ‘New York, New York Double’ featured a winning combination of 5-Into Mystic (Saratoga’s first race, [winner for parimutuel purposes]) and 6–Ursis Des Caillons (Yonkers’ third race), returning $16.20 for every correct $1 ticket. Total pool was $4,415.

The next Sunday matinee is Aug. 12 (post time TBA).