Yonkers, NY --- The pocket-sitting Breakheart Pass (Jim Pantaleano) proved best Friday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's co-featured $52,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap pace.
In play early from an assigned post position No. 3, Breakheart Pass went around Monochromatic (Cat Manzi), taking over before a :27 opening quarter. No sooner did Breakheart Pass make the lead than Tomorrowpan (Dan Dube) came at her.
Tomorowpan, parked two turns, gained the advantage right round the :55.2 half, with the 4-5 favorite Delightful Diva (George Brennan) stuck outside. Tomorrowpan held the fave off in and out of the 1:23.1 three-quarters, owning a 1-1/2 length lead into the lane.
However, the leader was leg-weary soon thereafter. Breakheart Pass pulled the pocket before the 1:52.3 mile marker, then out-finished a ground-saving Symphony in Motion (Jeff Gregory) by a 1-1/4 lengths, in 1:59.4, for the 1-1/16 miles. Delightful Diva was resilient enough to reclaim third after a brutal trip, with Tomorrowpan and Monochromatic earning the final pay envelopes.
Breakheart Pass, a 7-year-old daughter of Western Hero co-owned as Burke Racing by trainer Ron Burke and Weaver Bruscemi, returned $9.70 as the second choice for her third win in 15 season’s starts. The Exacta paid $64.50, with the Triple returning $176.00.
Friday night's $52,000 Open Handicap Trot saw KLM Express (Jim Marshall III) -- in career form -- snap Pembroke Prayer (George Brennan) on the money.
Assigned the penultimate post No. 7, KLM Express watched early as Pembroke Prayer and several others set sail for the lead.
Pembroke Prayer, while three-deep, stepped around both Pointe of Honour (Jim Pantaleano) and Wuthering Hanover (Jordan Stratton) after a :28 opening quarter-mile. He then found a :58 half before Get Chipped (Cat Manzi) moved from sixth.
All the while, KLM Express was operating from third-over as Pembroke Prayer passed the 1:26.4 three-quarters and was up one length turning for home. The leader, with the cavalry coming, hit the mile in 1:56.1, but couldn't stave off KLM Express. That one was up late, winning by a neck in 2:03.4 for the added distance. Point Of Honour, Calchips Brute (Daniel Dube) and the 3-2 favorite Neighsay Hanover (Jeff Gregory) came away with the remainder.
KLM Express, a 6-year-old homebred CR Excalibur gelding owned by Richard Aiken and trained by William Aiken, returned $20.60 as the fifth choice for his fifth win in 19 '11 tries. The Exacta paid $73.00, with the Triple returning $415.00.