by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers, NY — Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Dube, $7.40) snapped his rivals at the wire Sunday afternoon (July 1), winning Yonkers Raceway’s hot and steamy $44,000 Open Handicap Trot. The weekly trotting feature, commemorating Canada Day in the Lower 48, was not included in the ‘French’ four-pack which began the card.
Katy Gazzini photo
Smalltownthrowdown wins the Sunday feature at Yonkers Raceway.
Rather, the flat-mile festivities saw lass N F Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr.)—assigned outside her half-dozen foes—parked into the second turn and past a :27.1 opening quarter-mile before making the lead. She did rate a :30.1 next substation (:57.2 intermission) as her sister in arms, Weslynn Dancer (Jason Bartlett), moved first-up from fourth.
That towed Smalltownthrowdown, unhurried from post position six, within striking distance. N F Happenstance, though, led in and out a 1:26 three-quarters, with a 1-1/2 advantage off the final turn.
The leading lady hung tough, but could not stall Smalltownthrowdown. That one edged past late, winning by a neck in 1:55…his fastest purse win time of the season. N F Happenstance held second, with 13-10 favorite DW’S NY Yank (George Brennan) relegated to a pocket third. Weslynn Dancer and Bluebird Jesse (Brent Holland) came away with the minors.
For second choice ‘Smalltown,’ a 5-year-old Cash Hall gelding co-owned (as Allard Racing) by (trainer) Rene Allard, Yves Sarazin, VIP Internet Stable and Bruce Soulsby, it was his third win in eight seasonal starts (20th career victory). The exacta paid $50.50, the triple returned $163 and the superfecta paid $593.
Special props to Brennan for a 10-win weekend (four Friday, five Saturday, one Sunday afternoon) over a 30-race span.
Sunday’s scheduled rendition of the ‘New York, New York Double’ was cancelled after Belmont Park deferred to the heat and scrapped its card.
The next Sunday matinee is July 15, post time TBD.