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

Yonkers, NY —- Red Hot Herbie (Daniel Dube, $31.40) engineered the upset Sunday afternoon (Nov. 29), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $40,400 Open Handicap Trot.

Mayra Escamilla photo

Red Hot Herbie and Daniel Dube were the winners in the Open Handicap Trot.

Assigned post position No. 7 in the 10-horse, 1-1/4 mile medley, Red Hot Herbie was put in play early. He made the first lead before yielding to 9-10 favorite Luminosity (George Brennan) as the gang moved past the :28.1 opening quarter-mile and into Turn 2.

Luminosity then hit the brake, as in a :57.2 half and 1:27.4 three-quarters. That figured to be enough, but not today. Sumatra (Jordan Stratton) moved from fifth, with last week’s winner, Dot Dot Dot Dash (Matt Kakaley), behind that one.

Despite the cheap fractions, Luminosity was about done. He did maintain the lead in and out of the 1:57.1 mile post, but Sumatra had displaced him entering the lane. Dot Dot Dot Dash went wide, but Red Hot Herbie was carried where he needed to go.

Red Hot Herbie ducked inside, whipping a wide Dot Dot Dot Dash by a head in an added-distance 2:26.4. Sumatra held very well for third, with Auspicious Hanover (Brian Sears) and Tweet Me (Pat Lachance) rounding out the payees. Luminosity tired to a no-excuse sixth.

For fifth choice Red Hot Herbie, a 5-year-old Here Comes Herbie gelding co-owned as Allard Racing by trainer Rene Allard, Albert P. Abdala III, Bruce A. Soulsby and Michael Reppucci, it was his 11th win in 28 seasonal starts (three wins in last four tries). The exacta paid $197.50, with the triple returning $1,580.

Sunday props to Allard and Sears, who won four races each (including a pair in tandem).