Yonkers Raceway's Friday night $37,000 co-featured Open Handicaps -- Pace for the ladies and Trot for all with the proper papers -- were won by front-end bombardier Fashion Mystery (Eric Carlson, $43.40) and a fortuitous Lorenzo Dream (Brent Holland, $16).
With nose on gate from post position No. 4, Fashion Mystery easily made the lead around pole-assigned Big McDeal (Cat Manzi) before a :28.1 opening quarter-mile. She rated a :57.3 intermission before 7-5 favourite Economy Terror (Brian Sears) moved from fourth. However, the millionairess couldn't get near the longshot in and out of a 1:25.3 three-quarters. Fashion Mystery had a length and three-quarter lead entering the lane, then won by a handy length and a half in 1:53.1. Ramlalama (Matt Kakaley) was a second-up second, with Little Santamonica (Mark MacDonald), Big McDeal and Economy Terror rounding out the payees.
For sixth-choice Fashion Mystery, a five-year-old daughter of Real Artist owned and trained by Gilberto Garcia-Herrera, the win was her seventh in 29 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $188.50, with the triple returning $842.
The week's marquee trot took on quick new look when all-age track record-holder Quick Deal (Kakaley) jumped it off well before the outset. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Lorenzo Dream -- from post No. 4 -- made the first lead, before handing off to Zooming (Jason Bartlett). That one lead through intervals of :28, :58 and 1:26.4, with no pressure whatsoever from a first-up 2-1 choice in Blacktuxwhitesocks (Sears). However, Zooming soon self-destructed, breaking in the final turn. That left 'Lorenzo' in charge, and finished the job in a season's-best 1:55.1. Meladys Monet (Dan Dube) rallied for second, missing a neck, with Fortunista (Carlson), Super Manning (Jordan Stratton) and Tober (Eric Goodell) grabbing the minor moolah.
For fourth-choice Lorenzo Dream, a six-year-old Taurus Dream gelding owned by Vincent Laurenzo and trained by Julie Miller, the win was his seventh in 31 '13 tries. The exacta paid an even C-note ($100 in U.S. money), the triple returned $501 and the superfecta paid $2,443.
No one hit Friday's Pick 5 wager, so Saturday's rendition -- with a $3,700.40 carryover -- now comes with a $10,000 guaranteed pool. The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager offered on races five through nine.
The Raceway's five-night-per-week live schedule continues (weather permitting) through Dec. 21, with first post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 p.m. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting now available daily.
(Yonkers Raceway)