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

Yonkers, NY — Yonkers Raceway’s weekend offers up a trio of $32,000 Open Handicaps for your dining and dancing pleasure.

Since we’re nothing if not chivalrous, the ladies are the opening act, with Friday night’s (first post 7:10 p.m.) distaff pacing derby going as the sixth race. Last week’s Preferred ‘Cap winner Regil Elektra (Brian Sears, post six) is already two-for-three this season, as are Bazooka Terror (Eric Carlson, post two) and The Empiressister N (Jason Bartlett, post three).

The unknown interloper is 4-year-old Tessa Seelster (George Brennan, post eight), sent outside her elders for just her third career half-mile try (Flamboro, Grand River). She enters after pair of wins across the river.

Saturday night (first post 7:10 p.m.) finds the week’s marquee trot (sixth race) which offers a rivalry between recent winners Dot Dot Dot Cash (Matt Kakaley, post six), Red Hot Herbie (Sears, post seven) and Not Afraid (Dan Dube, post eight).

Some new blood arrives in the presence of barn-changing Crazshana (Bartlett, post one) and Meadows-invading Major Athens (Brennan, post five).

The weekly pacing feature (eighth race) has Aslan (Sears, post eight) banished behind the eight-ball after winning this race two weeks ago (last weekend’s rivalry meeting was snowed out). Down Under flavor is in the form of Texas Terror N (Kakaley, post two) and Hugh Hefner N (Jordan Stratton, post four).

The Raceway’s season continues Thursday evening (first post 7:10 p.m.), the final Thursday until March.