Down Under Sundon gelding takes $56,000 Trot

YONKERS, NY, Sunday, January 29, 2017 – Springbank Sam N (Jordan Stratton, $8.10) put in a solid, two-move harness racing effort Sunday afternoon, winning Yonkers Raceway's mile-and-a-quarter, $56,000 Open Trot.

One of a handful of leavers-from post position No. 4 (in one notch after a defection)-Springbank Sam N wound up in a three-hole at the :29.1 opening quarter-mile. It was the returning Il Mago (Matt Kakaley) leading there, as well as at the :58.4 half and 1:28.1 three-quarters.

'Sam' then took out after the leader, engaging at the 1:57 milepost. The two were essentially inseparable in and out of the final turn before Springbank Sam N put that rival away. He edged clear, whipping Allerage Star (Andy Miller) by a length in an added-distance 2:27.1.

Tweet Me (Pat Lachance) was a rallying third, with Newcastle (Dan Dube) and 8-5 choice Red Hot Herbie (Jason Bartlett) settled for the smaller change. Il Mago faded to ninth and last, though first-to-last in the entire field was just 3¾ lengths.

For second choice Springbank Sam N, a 10-year-old Down Under Sundon gelding owned Harry von Knoblauch and trained by Augie Abbatiello, it was his first win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $72, with the triple returning $473.

This week's installment of the "New York, New York Double' offered a 1A-Do Share (Aqueduct's 3rd race) and 1-Warrawee Preferred (Yonkers' 6th race) 'snake eyes' winning combination, which returned $14.30 for every correct dollar wager. Total pool was $5,136.

Frank Drucker