Yonkers Raceway’s Friday night $44,000 co-featured Opens -- a handicap for distaff pacers and a blind draw all socially-acceptable trotters -- were won by odds-on numbers Robin Cruiser (Jordan Stratton, $3.70) and Bee A Magician (Brian Sears, $3.10).
From penultimate post position No. 6, Robin Cruiser was in the game early, yielding to outside assignee Summertime Lea (George Brennan) just after a :27-second opening quarter-mile. Social Scene (Sears) was away third.
After a :55-second half and before a 1:23.3 three-quarters, “Lea” was getting only mile pressure from a first-up Krispy Apple (Jason Bartlett). The lead was length and a quarter into the lane. However, she tired mid-stretch, passed on the inside by Robin Cruiser and on the outside by a fast-closing Crazy On You (Brent Holland). The former beat the latter by a neck in 1:52.3, with Summertime Lea, the filly Fanticipation (Larry Stalbaum) and Krispy Apple rounding out the payees.
For Robin Cruiser, a five-year-old homebred daughter of Yankee Cruiser owned by Pinske Stables and trained by Julie Miller, it was her sixth win in 21 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $74.50, with the triple returning $345.50.
...And then there was the week’s featured trot, where the name above the marquee was one Bee A Magician.
The reigning Harness Horse of the Year, in her first Westchester work night -- and just third career half-mile excursion -- took to the four turns like a veteran.
Winning the draw, she allowed the 2013 Yonkers Trot champ Dewycolorintheline (Stratton) to throw the first salvo. Bee A Magician then secured the lead after a :28.1 first station. From there, a waltz -- around :59.3 middle half (:58.4 intermission, 1:27.4) gave the lass three lengths in and out of the final turn. Millionaire four times over Arch Madness (Trond Smedshammer) was the first to move, trotting in place from fourth before Somebody As (Dan Dube) tried his luck advancing modestly from third.
A :27.1 chaser closed the sale by three and three-quarter lengths in 1:55, a new track record for her division. Somebody As won the scrum for second, with “Dewy,” Tober (Bartlett) and Arch Madness rounding out the payees.
Bee A Magician, a four-year-old daughter of Kadabra trained by Nifty Norman for co-owners David McDuffee, Mel Hartman and Herb Liverman, is now two-for-eight this season (career 29-for-38 with earnings a shade under $2.5 million).
“She handled the track perfectly, and I’m hoping she returns,” Sears said of the first Horse of the Year to race at Yonkers after winning the award since Gallo Blue Chip (won HOY in 2000, raced at Yonkers twice in ‘03).
(Yonkers Raceway)