Royal Cee Cee N, Tober win Friday night co-features at Yonkers

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night pair of $44,000 co-featured Open Handicaps — for distaff pacers and everyone-welcome trotters — were won by odds-on choice Royal Cee Cee N (George Brennan, $3.00) and Tober (Jason Bartlett, $8.30).

Mike Lizzi photo

Royal Cee Cee N was a 1:52.1 winner for driver George Brennan.

It was Royal Cee Cee N making quick work of her outside starting venue. Hurdling over her six inside rivals (one defection), she easily found her way around P Note Blue Chip (Brian Sears), annexing the lead before a :27.2 opening quarter-mile. After a :56.1 intermission, Breakheart Pass (Bartlett), who had tucked into a five-hole, tried it first-up.

However, it was Royal Cee Cee N on display in and out of the 1:24.3 three-quarters, taking a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane. She then held a valiant Breakheart Pass at bay, winning by that same margin in 1:52.1. Best Boss (Pat Lachance), P Note Blue Chip and Naughtytiltheend (Brent Holland) completed the cashers.

For Royal Cee Cee N, a 6-year-old Down Under daughter of Christian Cullen owned and trained by Mark Harder, it was her eighth win (3-for-4 since hitting town) in 24 seasonal starts (all-continent earnings now over $600,000). The exacta paid $27.80, with the triple returning $100.50.

The week’s marquee trot saw Tober, in play from post position six, take over from Take My Picture (Mark MacDonald), then hit early intervals of :28.3 and :58.2. Backstreet Hanover (Holland), the 17-10 favorite, moved from fifth going toward the 1:27.3 three-quarters, though Tober was more than comfortable.

He had three lengths leaving the final turn before winning by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:56. Big Sky Storm (Jordan Stratton) rallied into third, with Take My Picture and Bank President (Dan Dube) grabbing the remainder.

For third-choice Tober, a 4-year-old statebred Credit Winner gelding trained by Ed Hart for co-owners Joseph Betro and (co-breeder) Kristie Leigh Farm, it was his sixth win in 24 ’12 tries. The exacta paid $17.40, the triple returned $178.50 and the superfecta paid $453.50.

— Frank Drucker

Saratoga
Mymomsablizzard scored in her return to Saratoga on Friday night. The Chris Marino trained trotter has been the queen of the Open this year at the Spa and once again proved that in Friday’s $21,000 feature. Mymomsablizzard (CR Excalibur) moved out to the early lead in a quick first quarter that went in :27.3 but got a middle half breather before stepping away late to win in 1:55.4. Billy Dobson piloted the 6-year-old mare, who is in the midst of a career year. The Friday win was number 12 on the season for Mymomsablizzard. Fellow mare Whybabywhy (Bruce Aldrich, Jr.) won a place photo with Rompaway Alvin (Jim Devaux), who ended up third.

Batavia Downs
Driver/trainer Doug Bowins is finding the Open racing at Batavia Downs to his liking. For the second consecutive racing night, Bowins has trained and driven the winner in the feature race of the night. Friday night Bowins found the winner’s circle again, taking the $9,000 Open Trot with Chinnys Wings ($10.60) in 1:57.2. On Wednesday night, Pathtodover took the $9,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace for Bowins. Chinnys Wings, a 7-year-old Armbro Ricochet gelding, was first over past the half as Big Baller set the pace with a :58 half. At the three-quarter pole, Chinnys Wings finally took the lead but the remainder of the field was double-decked with all having a chance. But the charge down the stretch belonged to Chinnys Wings. Owned by Bowins and Donald Brinkman, Chinnys Wings stretched out his lead and managed to hold off the challenges of Under The Stars (Jim McNeight Jr.) and Typical Newyorker (Ray Fisher Jr.) who finished second and third, respectively. It was the sixth win of the season for Chinnys Wings and pushed his seasonal earnings to $55,889. Reinsman Dan Noble, currently second in the driving standings during the summer-fall meet, had a driving five-bagger on the Friday card and is now 16 wins behind leading driver Shawn Gray with 17 racing programs remaining in the 2012 season. The Pick-6 continues to grow, as the carryover pool going into Saturday’s 12-card program is $3,117.