Yonkers, Rosecroft and Harrington offer solid cards
While most harness racing fans are accustomed to seeing their favorite trotters and pacers compete during the evening, Yonkers Raceway threw a twist into that equation on Saturday afternoon while Rosecroft Raceway and Harrington Raceway both restored some order on Sunday and Monday evenings.
Trotters were on full display on Saturday afternoon at Yonkers when the track hosted both the $250,000 Harry Harvey Invitational and the $1 million Yonkers International, but the best older pacers also had their moment in the sunshine.
In the $250,000 Harry Harvey Invite, Warrawee Roo (Daniel Dube) overcame a parked-the-mile journey to forge a length victory over Top Flight Angel (Andy Miller) in 2:25.2 for the one-mile and one-quarter distance, while favored Homicide Hunter (Brian Sears) was compromised by post 10 and a parked out journey and settled for sixth one week after becoming the sport's all-time fastest trotter courtesy of a 1:48.4 score at Lexington's Red Mile.
Then one race later in the famed $1 million Yonkers International at the same distance of one-mile and one-quarter, Cruzado Dela Noche (Sears) overcame a parked out journey and rallied late to forge a 30-1 shocker in 2:24.3. Lionel (Goran Antonsen) was parked first over throughout from the second tier and finished a game second in defeat while North American stars Ariana G (Yannick Gingras) and Marion Marauder (Scott Zeron) settled for fourth and fifth, respectively.
Three races later in the $250,000 Dan Rooney, McWicked (Sears) lived up to his role as the 2-5 favorite and secured his claim to the top aged pacer in the land when he overcame a first over journey and then drew clear from 7-2 second choice Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) to score by four lengths in 1:50.4 over a track that was labeled "good" and easily a full second slower than normal. The seven-year-old McArdle stallion trained by Casie Coleman will be among the finalists for pacer of the year.
Then on Sunday evening at Rosecroft Raceway, Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) rallied second over for a mild 4-1 upset in the $12,000 Open I Handicap in 1:50.3 then one race later on the card Abelard Hanover (Frank Milby) benefited from a pocket trip behind Bro Hanover (Sean Bier) and narrowly prevailed in 1:51.4 in the non-winners of $6,000 last five starts class for aged pacers.
Then on Monday evening at Harrington Raceway in Delaware, Daiymir (Montrell Teague) posted a neck victory as the 3-2 second choice over favored Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden) in 1:51 in the $15,000 Open I Handicap, while Kiss A Dragon (Russell Foster) and Proper One (Cody Poliseno) captured the split, non-winners of $8,901 last five starts class for pacers in 1:53.2 and 1:53, respectively.
Trotters were on full display on Saturday afternoon at Yonkers when the track hosted both the $250,000 Harry Harvey Invitational and the $1 million Yonkers International, but the best older pacers also had their moment in the sunshine.
In the $250,000 Harry Harvey Invite, Warrawee Roo (Daniel Dube) overcame a parked-the-mile journey to forge a length victory over Top Flight Angel (Andy Miller) in 2:25.2 for the one-mile and one-quarter distance, while favored Homicide Hunter (Brian Sears) was compromised by post 10 and a parked out journey and settled for sixth one week after becoming the sport's all-time fastest trotter courtesy of a 1:48.4 score at Lexington's Red Mile.
Then one race later in the famed $1 million Yonkers International at the same distance of one-mile and one-quarter, Cruzado Dela Noche (Sears) overcame a parked out journey and rallied late to forge a 30-1 shocker in 2:24.3. Lionel (Goran Antonsen) was parked first over throughout from the second tier and finished a game second in defeat while North American stars Ariana G (Yannick Gingras) and Marion Marauder (Scott Zeron) settled for fourth and fifth, respectively.
Three races later in the $250,000 Dan Rooney, McWicked (Sears) lived up to his role as the 2-5 favorite and secured his claim to the top aged pacer in the land when he overcame a first over journey and then drew clear from 7-2 second choice Bit Of A Legend N (Jordan Stratton) to score by four lengths in 1:50.4 over a track that was labeled "good" and easily a full second slower than normal. The seven-year-old McArdle stallion trained by Casie Coleman will be among the finalists for pacer of the year.
Then on Sunday evening at Rosecroft Raceway, Rock N Roll Jet (Kim Vincent) rallied second over for a mild 4-1 upset in the $12,000 Open I Handicap in 1:50.3 then one race later on the card Abelard Hanover (Frank Milby) benefited from a pocket trip behind Bro Hanover (Sean Bier) and narrowly prevailed in 1:51.4 in the non-winners of $6,000 last five starts class for aged pacers.
Then on Monday evening at Harrington Raceway in Delaware, Daiymir (Montrell Teague) posted a neck victory as the 3-2 second choice over favored Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden) in 1:51 in the $15,000 Open I Handicap, while Kiss A Dragon (Russell Foster) and Proper One (Cody Poliseno) captured the split, non-winners of $8,901 last five starts class for pacers in 1:53.2 and 1:53, respectively.
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