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

Yonkers, NY — A start-to-finish NF Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr., $14) just lasted Sunday afternoon (Jan. 28), winning Yonkers Raceway’s ‘sloppy’ $50,000 Open Handicap Trot. A field of 11 served as the first of six ‘French’ trots.

Mike Lizzi photo

NF Happenstance provides Jack Parker Jr. with his first Yonkers driving victory in 16 years.

There were any number of early misbehavers, including 2-1 choice Money Maven (Yannick Gingras), one of the second-tier starters.

There was no such happenstance for lone lass NF Happenstance. From post position two, the Delaware invader led at every pylon (:29.2, :59.2, 1:28.4, 1:57.1). She opened 2-3/4 lengths entering the lane before winning by a neck in 2:28.

Eight-holer Melady’s Monet (Jason Bartlett) put forth a solid, two-move effort, charging late to barely miss. Third went to Moneycounts De Vie (Matt Kakaley) with Rubber Duck (Joe Bongiorno) and Lily’s Swan Pond (Brent Holland) settling for the remainder.

It was Parker’s first win here since August 2002 and the first time he had driven the mare locally since Independence Night of 2014.

For third choice NF Happenstance, an 8-year-old daughter of S J’s Caviar owned by James Moore III and trained by Carol Jamieson-Parker, it was her fourth win in as many seasonal starts. The exacta paid $76, with the triple returning $1,111.

Sunday’s ‘New York, New York Double’ offered a winning combination of 3-Factoring (Aqueduct’s 3rd race) and 3-Gonna Fly (Yonkers’ 6th race) paid $140.75 for every correct $1 wager. Total pool was $8,302.

Sunday matinees return Feb. 25 (post time TBA).