by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — It’s Friday Night Live at Yonkers Raceway, with America’s most scenic half-mile oval taking a week’s hiatus from High Noon hi-jinx. Post time for the 11 race card is 7:40 p.m.

Blastaway Sahbra, now officially the most prolific breathing entity (two or four-legged) in Westchester County, was assigned outside of his seven foes in the co-featured $15,000 Open Handicap Trot — carded as the ninth race.

“Blastaway,” who eased on by to win last Friday afternoon’s Open ‘Cap by a half length, goes back under the lights in search of a fifth consecutive victory. During the streak, he’s won twice here, once in central Jersey and once in New Hampshire. Let’s fact it…the lad just does not discriminate. Stephane Bouchard drives the six-year-old Striking Sahbra gelding, with career cash in excess of $532,000, for co-owners Dean Davis and Brenda Sugg and trainer Mark Ford.

Blastaway Sahbra has plied his craft with aplomb just about everywhere. For the season, he has 10 wins (same as ’03) and 18 board finishes in 21 tries ($106,443).

However, it’s at Yonkers where he’s been a runway model of consistency. 14 ’04 starts: eight wins, five seconds and a third.

Blast Off (John Plutino, post four) returns to the scene of his greatest triumph. The four-year-old Malabar Man gelding won the $42,200 final of the Yonkers Raceway/Standardbred Owners Association of New York (and the accompanying $10G bonus) in late April. John Schmigel trains for Klis Brothers Stable as Blast Off tries for his ninth victory of the season.

Pure Adrenalin N (Driver TBA, post seven) takes on the boys in her first local visit since last September, when she was fifth in an Open Handicap. The 10-year-old Down Under daughter of Gee Whiz, owned and trained by Monico Stanislao, last won a featured trot here in early August a year ago.

On Tour (Ray Schnittker, post five) and Texas Lavec (Steve Smith, post six) have both done good work on the other side of the tracks, er, bridge. The former has hit the board in six of his last seven tries, while the latter was a high-conditioned winner in his last sojourn.

The Legend (Greg Merton, post one), Mysterious Caller (Mike Forte, post two) and Great Thunder (Rejean Daigneault, post three) round out the roster.

Friday’s co-featured $15,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap (10th race) sees Lady Matawai N (Jeff Gregory, post eight) invading for her first local try since early April.

Get Over Lil (Jay Randall, post one), Chip And Gale A (Jim Marohn, post three), Forever Blue N (Jim Marshall III, post five) and Time Flies N (Bouchard, post 7) all come off victories in their most recent efforts.

Friday’s evening simulcast schedule includes the Meadows (post time 5:00), Vernon (6:30), Northfield (7:00), Raceway (7:00), Pompano (7:20), Buffalo (7:30) and Meadowlands (7:30).

Yonkers is offering advanced wagering on Saturday’s 136th running of the Belmont Stakes, beginning Friday afternoon. Belmont’s first Saturday post is 12:00 Noon, with Yonkers’ gates opening at 11:00 a.m.

Save for this week, Yonkers continues its Friday 12:00 Noon first post through July 23. Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturday remain at the usual 7:40 p.m. first post.

Afternoon simulcasting continues to be offered around the NYRA schedule, while the Raceway is open for Friday evening simulcasting after High Noon live cards.

June’s evening/harness simulcast schedule includes Balmoral Park, Buffalo Raceway, Hazel Park, Maywood Park, Meadowlands, the Meadows, Monticello Raceway, Northfield Park, Penn National, Pocono Downs, Pompano Park, Raceway Park, Rockingham Park, Rosecroft Raceway, Saratoga Raceway, Scioto Downs and Vernon Downs.

For more information, or to obtain a calendar, please contact the Raceway at (914) 968-4200.