Yonkers, NY — Breakheart Pass (Yannick Gingras), the timid favorite and one of three 2-1 propositions, lasted on a Friday night lead, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured $38,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace.

Tom Berg photo

Breakheart Pass was a 1:53.3 winner for Yannick Gingras.

Leaving from position No. 4, Breakheart Pass worked around pole-sitting LR Dancing Dream (George Brennan) before a :27 opening quarter-mile. Slomotion (Jason Bartlett) took a shot leaving as well, but wound up hung to dry for her troubles. Breakheat Pass, using that one as a pick, rated a :56 intermission. Park Avenue (Tyler Buter) advanced to race second-over, but the parked-out number was stopping in her face. All the while, Breakheart Pass found the 1:25 three-quarters, taking a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane.

Fox Valley Sage (Jordan Stratton) angled from third at 30-1, offering solid late pace. However, Breakheart Pass held to the wire, winning by a half-length in 1:53.3. LR Dancing Dream, Little Mermaid N (Jim Pantaleano) and Queen Of Heaven N (Jim Marshall III) completed the cashers.

Breakheart Pass, a 6-year-old daughter of Western Hero trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi, returned $6.20 for her fourth win in 25 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $109, with the triple returning $325.

Friday night’s $38,000 Open Handicap Trot — pared down to a half-dozen after two defections — was won by a pocket-patrolling Wind Surfer (Gingras). Leaving from post No. 2, Wind Surfer watched as Don’ttellmywife (Brennan) put up intervals of :28, :57.3 and 1:26.4.

Light Headed (Daniel Dube) offered only minimal, first-up pressure, as the leader maintained a 1-1/4 length lead off the final turn. However, Wind Surfer had that one lined up, edging out and prevailing by a length in 1:56.1. The minors spoils went to Master Pine (Jeff Gregory), Tasty Max (Stephane Bouchard) and 19-10 fave T J’s Master Lavec (Bartlett).

Wind Surfer, a 5-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding trained by Burke for co-owners Betty Sherman and James Koran, returned $8.90 (third choice) for his eighth win in 26 ’10 tries. The exacta paid $40, with the triple returning $96.50.

— Frank Drucker

Harrah’s Chester
Having dominated the top distaff ranks at the Meadows for much of 2010, the Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi’s Red Star Hottie ($7.40) prevailed in Friday afternoon’s $32,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Harrah’s Chester. The 5-year-old As Promised mare was under no pressure through a :56.2 half-mile before pushing clear from the pocket-sitting B Intensified (George Napolitano) by 3-1/2 lengths on the backstretch through a :26.4 third quarter. With signs of fatigue beginning to show nearing the head of the stretch, Yannick Gingras implored Red Star Hottie for everything she had, and it turned out to be more than enough, as she held off B Intensified and odds-on favorite Cuz She Can (Tim Tetrick) for a three-quarter length victory, stopping the timer in 1:52. Ron Burke handles the training duties of Red Star Hottie.

Batavia Downs
Owner-trainer Ronald Stebbins’ Fifty Two Finn solidified his stock for being named Batavia Downs Casino trotter of the year when he went wire-to-wire to notch his sixth win of the summer-fall meet in the featured $8,880 Open Trot on Friday night. John Cummings, Jr., who had four wins on the program, guided the classy 10-year-old Movie Mogul gelding to his 46th lifetime win, holding off a closing Justine Colleen (Jack Flanigen) by a head in 2:00.4 over a racetrack covered in snow. Fifty Two Finn, who made his most recent start at Vernon Downs, was claimed for $15,000 back on September 10 at Tioga Downs. He’s over $60,000 in seasonal earnings and his lifetime bankroll is more than $440,000. He returned $4.90 to win, going off as the public’s choice. Betty Tauber’s Artistry In Rhythm ($6.40) held off The Grey Filly (Ron Beback, Jr.) in deep stretch to win the co-featured $8,500 Filly and Mares Open Pace by a neck in 1:59.2. The 8-year-old Real Desire mare won for the 11th time this season and raised her 2010 earnings to more than $82,000. Ken Holliday was in the bike for his wife Sherri.