by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — The people’s preferences prevailed Saturday (June 24) night, with Resolve (Ake Svanstedt, $6.20) and Somewhere in L A (Jason Bartlett, $3.80) winning Yonkers Raceway’s $55,000 co-featured Open Handicaps.

Mike Lizzi photo

Resolve demonstrates travel does not impact him as he returns to Yonkers to collect another triumph.

Double-millionaire Resolve showed no ill effects from his sojourn to Solvalla. Returning to the scene of a Yonkers International Trot world record last Oct., he proved as proficient at eight furlongs as he did at 10.

Resolve, from post position seven, as he moved in one notch after a defection, worked around Gural Hanover (George Brennan), then finished it off with fractions of :28.1, :58, 1:26.4 and 1:54.3. Gural Hanover eventually broke in the pocket, while world champion Obrigado (Mark MacDonald) chased after ducking in third.

Resolve held sway, beating Obrigado by a length. Springbank Sam N (Jordan Stratton) was a best-of-the-rest third, while Money Maven (Eric Goodell) and Melady’s Monet (Bartlett) were both moved up, respectively. Gural Hanover was set down from fourth to seventh for his transgressions.

For Resolve, a 6-year-old son of Muscle Hill trained by his driver for owner Hans Enggren, it was his second win in four seasonal starts. The exacta paid $20.20, with the triple returning $99.

Saturday night’s Open Handicap Pace was nary more than a public workout for Somewhere In L A. From post seven, he threw down the gauntlet with splits of :27, :56.1, 1:24.2 and 1:52.1, to defeat a closing Bit Of A Legend N (Stratton) by a couple of lengths. Dream Out Loud N (Shaun Vallee) skimmed the cones for third as the 81-1 rank outsider, with a tiring-pocket Somewhere Fancy (Dan Dube) and Clear Vision (Brennan) settling for the remainder.

For Somewhere In L A, a 6-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding co-owned by D’Elegance Stable IX, Carmen Iannacone, T L P and Gandolfo Stables, it was his eighth win in 19 2017 tries. The exacta paid $7.80, with the triple returning $75.50 and the superfecta paid $258.80.

The featured pace win was one of a six wins for Bartlett during the 12-race card.

Special salutations to Americanprimetime (Brennan, $4), who drilled the $40,000 Preferred Handicap Pace in 1:51, which is fastest local mile of the season.