Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $46,000 co-featured Open Handicaps–Pace for the ladies and Trot for all qualified–were won by certified bombardier Rock N Load (Dan Dube, $70.50) and repeating Tall Cotton (George Brennan, $9.90).

Sean Hamrock photo

Rock N Load scored an upset at 34-1 in Friday’s co-featured Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers Raceway.

Pole assignee Rock N Load was minding his business as Economy Terror (Jason Bartlett) worked around her before a :27.3 opening quarter-mile. That one then gave it up to a second move of Royal Cee Cee N (Brian Sears).

The 6-5 choice made the lead before a :56.2 half, then rated a soft (29-second) third quarter (1:25.2) with just mild pressure from Billmar Scooter (Eric Goodell). Despite the respite, Royal Cee Cee N was in trouble off the final turn.

Economy Terror edged from the pocket, Ramalama (Brennan) went wide and Sir Jillian Z Tam (Pat Lachance) even wider. However, it was the 34-1 rank outsider taking the inside route, with Rock N Load beating Sir Jillian Z Tam by a neck in 1:53.4.

Third went to a tiring Royal Cee Cee N, with Ramalama and Economy Terror rounding out the payees.

For Rock N Load, a 5-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Hanover trained by Danny Gill for co-owners Edward Hall and James Hall Jr., it was her sixth win in 27 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $498, with the triple returning $3,938.

The featured trot saw 1-2 favorite Little Brown Fox (Sears) out two turns before eventually making the lead (:28, :57). Meanwhile, Tall Cotton–behind the eight-ball at the start–was able to wedge into what became a five-hole.

He then moved toward the lead at the intermission, engaging the people’s preference after a 1:26.1 three-quarters. Tall Cotton secured the lead early in the lane, putting away the leader, then holding off a rallying Bound For Fame (Jordan Stratton) by a head in 1:56. Third went to Calchip’s Brute (Dube), with Little Brown Fox and Melady’s Monet (Bartlett) coming away with the remainder.

For second choice Tall Cotton, a 7-year-old Revenue S gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by Burke, Howard Taylor, Weaver Bruscemi and Edwin Gold, he’s now 6-for-17 this season. The exacta paid $63.50, with triple returning $472.50.

— Frank Drucker

Tioga Downs
Hot List (Jim Marohn Jr.) captured Friday night’s $16,000 fillies and mares miracle mile 1-2 handicap at Tioga Downs. The duo of Marohn/Burke have been on a roll lately at Tioga Downs, and they continued their success on Friday night as Marohn put Hot List on the lead from post four after an opening quarter of :26.3. From there Hot List controlled the half mile mark in :55.1 as Aaron Byron and Little Santamonica unleashed a wicked first-over move down the backside and stuck a nose in front as the field reached three quarters in 1:23. Around the final turn, Hot List fought back and repelled the tough challenge from Little Santamonica to go on and win by a length in 1:51.4. Ron Burke trains the 5-year-old daughter of McArdle-Only Gossip for the ownership group of Burke Racing, Di Scala Jr., and Massari of Pennsylvania and New York. Fiesta Camcun (Corey Braden) used a pocket trip to secure second, while Little Santamonica (Aaron Byron) hung on for third to round out the 4-5-6 trifecta good for $54.50. Jimmy Marohn Jr. and Corey Braden each posted driving triples on the night’s ten race card.

Northfield Park
Fly To The Angels paced home for her 50th career victory on Friday (August 23), winning the $6,000 fillies and mares open in Northfield Park’s ninth race. The 9-year-old has 218 career starts, winning 50 times, and finishing second and third 34 and 33 times respectively. Fly To The Angels (Sign Of Success-Score Big Hanover-Big Towner) has career earnings of $198,476 and a lifetime mark of 1:52.2 taken at Hoosier Park at age eight. The pacer’s richest win was for a purse of $22,000 in a FM-Invite at Hoosier Park in 2011. Fly To The Angels started from post six and let her competition post stiff fractions of :27.2, :55.2 and 1:24. She used a closing-kick in the stretch to grab the lead late and best her closest competitor, Moonlite Delite (Aaron Merriman), by three-quarters of a length. She stopped the clock at 1:53.4, the fastest time of her six wins this year. Fly To The Angels returned $17.60 to win. Britney Dillon and Carrie Scott own Fly To The Angels. Trainer Dean Eckley called upon Josh Sutton to drive her to this milestone triumph.

Scioto Downs
The leading trainer in the country and the leading trainer at Scioto Downs Racino have their go-to drivers for their horses when they race at the Columbus, Ohio 5/8 mile track. Friday evening each trainer took a different $20,000 Open race to keep securing their foothold as the top trainers in the top class races. In the Open Trot, Ronnie Wrenn Jr drove Virgil Morgan Jr’s Undercover Strike to victory in 1:55. Parked the last half mile, the 5-year-old gelded son of Striking Sahbra won handily for owner Frank Bellino. Trotslikethewind (Kayne Kauffman) was second and Chilitodayhotamale (Tony Hall) held on for third after cutting the mile. Undercover Strike raced earlier this year at The Meadowlands and Mohawk, where he took his fastest mark of 1:52.3 in 2012. The win Friday marked his second in a row in the Open Trot at Scioto and he has now earned $313,994 lifetime. Tony Hall turned the tables on Wrenn when he took the Fillies & Mares Open Pace with Darena Hanover for Ron Burke in 1:51.3. Leaving from assigned post position nine, the 4-year-old daughter of Yankee Cruiser sat back in the five-hole while Wrenn sent Princess Cruiser to the front in 26.1. The pair led all the way to the top of the stretch and finished three-quarters of a length behind Darena Hanover. She’s Shocking (Ray Paver) posted a 27.1 last quarter to get third. Darena Hanover, owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, has now surpassed $620,000 in lifetime earnings. In 2012 she won both the Jugette and Matron finals and took a mark of 1:50.2 at Pocono Downs.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Walltocousins (Cantab Hall) secured his first victory in a local feature on Friday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway as the 5-year-old trotter endured a long first-over journey before securing the win in 1:57. Walltocousins was piloted to the score in the $18,000 Open Trot by Joe Bongiorno. Pay The Winner (Stephane Bouchard) drafted in the cover of the winner before finishing second while Count Speed (Wally Hennessey) came on for third. Walltocousins is trained by Brad Irvine.