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

Yonkers, NY — Mother Nature and Father Pat Berry made Yonkers Raceway’s Thursday night (March 1) Pick-5 a tricky proposition.

The wager, buoyed by a carryover of $6,118.60, attracted $26,458 of fresh, first-of-the-month investors. After new-money takeout, a pool of $25,962 and some change was taken down by one solitary soul with the winning combination of 2-Aberdeen Hanover ($8.70), 5-Highvew Conall N ($11.80), 1-Torrid Bromac N ($24), 8-Blow A Cloud N ($33.60) and 4-Statham N ($7.10).

Berry drove the longshot third and fourth winners in the waterlogged sequence.

The return of $25,962.50 for that base half-a-buck wager was by far a local season’s high.

The Pick-5 comprises races six through 10 for 10-race cards such as Thursday’s, though ordinarily it’s races seven through 11. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Tuesday night, leading to the carryover), the entire pool (minus takeout) moves to the next racing program.