by Frank Drucker, for Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — Favored Tessa Seelster (George Brennan, $5.60) just held off a stubborn Mach It A Par (Brent Holland) Friday night (Aug. 26), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $45,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.

Jelena Gerga photo

Tessa Seelster takes the featured $45,000 Open Pace at Yonkers Raceway.

Put in play from her assigned post position five, ‘Tessa’ had to wait her turn at the outset. She sat outside while Jonsie Jones (Tyer Buter) stuffed Inittowinafortune (Jon Bongiorno) in behind. Tessa Seelster then found an unimpeded path to the front, though she a paid a zippy :26.3 price for the opening-quarter privilege.

After a rated :56.2 intermisision, she saw Mach It A Par, who tried it first-up from seventh. Tessa Seelster found a 1:24 three-quarters, taking a 1-3/4 length lead into the lane.

She lost everyone save for Mach It A Par, who did not go away quietly. Tessa Seelster did close the sale, however, winning by a nostril in 1:51.4. Rock N Roll Xample (Dan Dube) was a crisp, ground-saving third, with Krispy Apple (Jason Bartlett) and Sell a Bit N (Jordan Stratton) settling for the minor awards.

For Tessa Seelster, a 4-year-old daughter of Shadow Play co-owned, as Burke Racing, by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver Bruscemi and Jonathan Newman, it was her seventh win in 15 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $100.50, with the triple returning $671.50.

Saturday night’s (Aug. 27) card includes a pair of stakes for 3-year-old fillies, the $118,574 Hudson Trot and $109,050 Lady Maud Pace. Hambletonian winner Marion Marauder also hits town, leading the lone $40,000 elimination for the 62nd edition of the Yonkers Trot.