Shoobees Place, driven by George Brennan, lasted on the lead Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $42,000 Open Handicap Pace
.
Assigned post position No. 3, Shoobees Place left around Southwind Tabor (Larry Stalbaum), making the lead before a :26.3 opening quarter. After a :56-second half, 3-5 choice Stonebridge Tonic (Dan Dube) moved from fourth. However, he wasn't moving anywhere of substance, backpedaling before a 1:23.1 three-quarters.
Shoobees Place took a length-and-a-half lead into the lane, with Southwind Tabor pulling pocket and Corky Baran (Eric Goodel) dipping the cones. "Shoobee" hit the mile marker in 1:51.1, before he and "Corky" would decide it. The former held off the latter by a nose, getting the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:58.3. Power Of A Moment (Brent Holland) and Real Nice (Greg Merton) grabbed the minor spoils.
For Shoobees Place, a four-year-old son of Artsplace owned by David McDuffee and trained by Nifty Norman, he returned $10.60 (second choice) for his fifth win in 31 seasonal starts. The exacta paid $126.50, with the tripe returning $429.50.
Next Saturday night, the Raceway presents its final stakes night of the season, including the $401,000 Messenger Stakes and $184,890 Lady Maud Pace. Roll With Joe, the richest harness horse of 2011, leads a Messenger half-dozen, with post positions drawn for both races Tuesday.
(Yonkers Raceway)